A Saturday night gathering of about 400 juveniles outside a St. Ann, Missouri dance studio turned into a shooting scene when a suspect opened fire into the crowd around 10:30 p.m. According to police, officers arrived to find the suspect firing what appeared to be an automatic weapon. Two juveniles were struck by the suspect’s gunfire, and their conditions have not been released.
Officers chased the suspect as he ran toward a nearby home where multiple people were taking cover. Police say he turned toward them while still holding the gun and refused commands, at which point an officer shot him. The suspect is in critical condition at a hospital. No officers were injured in the incident.
For families here on the Suncoast, this story lands close to home even from a thousand miles away. From packed rec center dances to spring training crowds to festival nights at the beach, hundreds of kids in one place is a normal weekend around here. St. Ann Police are asking anyone with information to call 314-427-8000. In the meantime, it’s worth asking: do you know the safety plan at the youth events your family attends?
