Critical Incident Briefing: SLMPD Officer Involved Shooting: March 3, 2023

On Friday, March 3, 2023 at approximately 10:38 p.m., police officers assigned to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department’s Special Weapons And Tactics Unit, commonly referred to as S.W.A.T., were conducting a patrol on Riverview Boulevard in the Baden neighborhood when they observed a 2019 Kia Stinger being operated in an erratic manner. When officers attempted to make a traffic stop, the driver fled. A Metro Air Support Unit police helicopter was overhead at the time of the incident. The flight crew monitored the path of the suspect’s vehicle and announced its location to S.W.A.T. officers. A vehicle pursuit was not initiated at this time, but S.W.A.T. officers followed the directions provided by the flight crew at a safe distance.
Several minutes later, the driver stopped near an apartment building at the intersection of Rosalie Street and Kingshighway Boulevard in the City of St. Louis. S.W.A.T. officers responded to the area. At approximately 10:42 p.m. the suspect left the area at which time a tire deflation device was deployed by a S.W.A.T. officer. The deployment was successful.
A second S.W.A.T. officer activated his emergency lights and siren in another attempt to initiate a traffic stop. The driver refused to comply, violated a traffic signal and fled west on west Florissant at a high rate of speed. A tactical pursuit was initiated by S.W.A.T. officers.
At approximately 10:45 p.m., the suspect vehicle left the roadway at McLaran and main street in the city of Jennings and attempted to drive parallel to a set of railroad tracks.
The vehicle was rendered inoperable, and the suspect ran from the car armed with a firearm. S.W.A.T. officers pursued the suspect on foot.
While running, the S.W.A.T. officer gave the suspect repeated verbal commands to “freeze” and “drop it”. The suspect failed to comply. Instead, he turned and pointed the weapon at the officer. The S.W.A.T. officer fired his department issued weapon, striking the suspect. He was taken into custody and officers rendered life-saving medical treatment to the suspect. He was transported to an area hospital for further treatment.