Two St. Louis police officers were shot Saturday night by a suspect who is now barricaded inside the residence.
Officers were responding to a call about the shooting around 6 p.m. Saturday when a suspect started firing at them, St. Louis Police Department Chief John Hayden Jr. said.
“They heard shots while they were on the scene, and our first officer, who was very seriously injured, and when I say he was very seriously injured, he was shot, he had head injuries. And that officer is “down,” Head said in an update Saturday night.
“While our brave officers were trying to keep him safe, other officers responded at the scene, and one of our other officers was shot in the leg. Both are in area hospitals. Doctors are working feverishly to help them.”
Head said eight St. Louis police officers have been shot since June 1.
“A lot of our officers have been rallying this summer, as you know. We’ve seen an increase in violence,” Head said. “These officers, all they are trying to do is do their job and help the injured person and they come to the shooting themselves.”
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A St. Louis resident, Matt Miller, who lives near where the shooting took place, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that 75-100 officers have gathered in the neighborhood and closed the streets.
Head said the hostage negotiation team is now at the scene.
