WANTED: Five suspects sought in shooting that left teen dead, 11 injured in downtown St. Louis
ST. LOUIS, Mo. (KMOV) - Police say they are searching for five suspects in connection with a shooting that left a teen dead and 11 other teens wounded in downtown St. Louis over the weekend.
Makao Moore, 17, has been identified as the person killed in the shooting. Of the 11 injured, Police say one was trampled by teens running from the shooting. The other 10 were shot.
According to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the shooting took place at 14th and Washington Avenue around 1:03 a.m. Sunday morning.
At the time of the shooting, officers were manning a fixed post diverting traffic at the intersection of 14th and Washington Avenue when they saw a large group of people running from a building at 1409 Washington. Police say this was an office building that was being used for a planned party.
The officers had received multiple calls that there was a shooting involving multiple victims at the party, which was on the fifth floor of the building.
A juvenile suspect was taken into custody but has been released because his arrest was not tied to this case.
Authorities say they are seeking four more suspects, who were captured on surveillance video. Police released their pictures on Tuesday. News 4 is working to learn more details of what unfolded, as well as the condition of the remaining victims.
Friday, police released a new photo of the suspects
Of the non-deceased victims, we know:
- A 19-year-old male was shot in the arm, groin and legs
- A 19-year-old male was shot in the back
- An 18-year-old male was shot in the left side and legs
- A 17-year-old male was grazed by a bullet to the face and treated by paramedics at the scene
- A 16-year-old female was shot in the leg
- A 16-year-old female was shot in the lower back
- A 16-year-old female was grazed by gunfire to the ankle
- A 15-year-old was grazed by gunfire to her left side
- A 15-year-old suffered gunshot wounds to her right arm, left knee, and right ankle.
- A 17-year-old female suffered a gunshot wound to her right thigh
- A 17-year-old female trampled while running from the scene and is reported as having serious injuries to her spine
The scene investigation revealed multiple shell casings from multiple firearms, with multiple firearms being recovered from the building including an AR-style rifle and handguns.
Police said their investigation has determined that key cards were the entry method for the building. They said they believe someone got ahold of one of the cards and then propped the door open for others to come in. As of right now, it has not been determined who gave someone the card, or if the key card was lost.
A Homicide Unit is investigating the incident.
In response to the shooting, in a press conference, Mayor Jones said:
“Make no mistake: The violence these young people experienced last night is intolerable and unacceptable. SLMPD’s summer detail responded quickly to the scene. But officers respond after the shooting starts: We, as a city, as a community, and as an entire region, must offer our youth more safe spaces before things escalate into dangerous late-night parties in office buildings. A police response alone is not enough to keep our youth out of harm’s way, and the City is expanding our youth program options at our recreation centers to give them more places to go and have fun. With young people traveling from as far as Jefferson County to Downtown on the weekends, I hope our civic, nonprofit, corporate, and philanthropic partners in our region will match or exceed our efforts and recognize the urgency of this moment.”
The gun violence that occurred downtown last night, involving several juveniles, was a tragic event. It is heartbreaking that on this Father's Day, we are mourning the loss of a young life and the injuries sustained by several others. As a community, we must come together to…
— Alderman Rasheen Aldridge. Jr (He/Him) (@AlderSheenBean) June 18, 2023
In partnership with the Mental Health Board, the City is working to expand youth programming and hours at Wohl and Marquette Recreation Centers in the weeks ahead on Fridays and Saturdays, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. for youth 15 and under and 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. for 16 and older, through August.
Anyone with information about this shooting is urged to call SLMPD’s Homicide Division at 314-444-5371 or CrimeStoppers at 866-371-8477.
There are programs in St. Louis aimed at helping at-risk youth. For more information on the initiatives for youth ages 17 to 24, click here.
To learn more about the Sankofa Mentoring and Training Center for youth in north St. Louis, click here.
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