Police: Woman dead after standoff in Ballwin

BALLWIN, Mo. (KMOV) – A woman accused of firing multiple shots at police officers in Ballwin died from self-inflicted gunshot wounds inside her home after being barricaded for multiple hours Monday afternoon, police said.

The Ballwin Police Department confirmed a female subject led police on a chase to her residence, where she barricaded herself Monday afternoon.

St. Louis County Police confirmed the woman as Janet Rabe, 51.

“St. Louis County officers entered the residence to make contact with the subject. Upon entry the subject was found to have an injury and has been transported to an area hospital for treatment,” St. Louis County Police Officer Adrian Washington said.

Upon entering the home, police said the woman had shot herself and was taken to an area hospital before being pronounced dead.

It started as a traffic stop after the subject flashed a gun.

Around 12:30 p.m. on Monday, officers with the Ballwin Police Department tried pulling Rabe in relation to a flourishing of a weapon incident from earlier in the day. Rabe refused to stop and drove off.

About an hour later, another Ballwin officer saw Rabe’s vehicle. Rabe drove off once again, and as they did so, a weapon was flourished at a responding St. Louis County officer, according to police.

Police then said Rabe then drove to her home on Cascade Terrace Drive. While heading there, police said the suspect once again flourished a weapon and fired multiple shots at officers. A Ballwin officer reportedly returned fire. Police do not believe anyone was injured in the incident.

At 3:30 p.m., police reported Rabe was barricaded inside a home and that officers were trying to negotiate with them to leave the house.

Nine gunshots filled the air in the subdivision.

“Just trying to process it,” Neighbor Grant Garagiola said.

Garagiola lives nearby Rabe’s house. He said he was in the shower when the shots went off, and his wife got him to head to the basement.

“Very startling, out of nowhere,” Garagiola explained. “Very loud pops, almost like quick thunder.”

In Ring video only News 4 obtained, police officers can be seen walking across the resident’s front lawn with assault rifles drawn.

Multiple residents tell News 4 the subject has a reputation in the neighborhood.

“I’m even scared to walk down that way,” Neighbor Nancy Hoglan said.

“I’ve heard some instances with neighbor disputes,” Garagiola shared. “The cops have been here for months before this. I’ve heard she’s flashed a gun before but nothing became of it, until today.”

Other residents said it’s upsetting this happened in their neighborhood, at their doorsteps.

“The issue is just a lot of mental health not being solved, Dan Ludwig explained. “The abundancy of guns, and the kind of loss of morale.”

News 4 did see an ambulance leave the scene, with lights and sirens on.

As for Garagiola, he said he’s still in shock by how close the shots sounded to his house.

“I moved out here to the suburbs to get away from all that and then it happens right next to you,” Garagiola said.

One resident who asked not to speak on camera, said she owns the residence across the street from where the female subject lived. She said she didn’t want to go into detail about what happened, but said there are at least two bullet holes in her neighbor’s garage.

Oak Brook Elementary, which is close to the home, briefly went into “shelter in place” status during the incident. The day continued as normal but everyone stayed indoors. Police later gave the all-clear to dismiss school and release students on buses. One bus and some students who walk home were held back as a precaution, a school district spokesperson said.

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information is released.

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