Knife-wielding suspect shot, killed after lunging at officer, St. Louis police say

By Stephanie Usery

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    ST. LOUIS, Missouri (KMOV) — A suspect was killed when he lunged at an officer in St. Louis Wednesday, according to police.

St. Louis police said a fugitive apprehensive team was called to an apartment near Page and Hodiamont during the morning hours. The 61-year-old they were there for had multiple felony warrants, police said. The man refused to come out and barricaded himself in the apartment. After several attempts to get the man outside, SWAT officers were called to the scene around 10:30 a.m.

SWAT officers attempted to negotiate with the suspect in two different languages, but were unsuccessful. St. Louis police said robots that were sent inside the apartment were defeated by the suspect because he put them in different rooms so he could not be watched. Officers then attempted to teargas the man, but he hid in a bathroom.

When SWAT officers entered the apartment, they reportedly found the man armed with a knife and pole. Police said they used beanbags, tasers and more teargas, but the man charged at an officer while holding the knife. Officers then shot the suspect.

After he was shot, officers disarmed the man and drug him outside in an attempt to stabilize him. He was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead. His name has not been released.

All SWAT officers have body cameras, a police source on scene told News 4. The St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office was at the scene following the fatal officer-involved shooting.

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