Police officer, security guard injured in shots fired, crash Downtown

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (KMOV) - A police officer and a security guard were injured after car break-ins led to shots fired and a police car crashing in downtown St. Louis early Friday.

According to police, suspects were attempting to break into cars near the downtown Hampton Inn when they were confronted by a security guard. As the thieves fled, the security officer tried to follow to get their license plate number and was shot at. The security guard was injured by flying glass but was not hit with gunfire.

Jason Pabom and his family are staying at the hotel and parked their vehicle in the same parking lot.

“We heard about the break-ins, yes. They warned us. Kind of your heart went down and I went, I hope it wasn’t my vehicle because I have some stuff I left out there,” he said.

First Alert Four learned six or seven vehicles were broken into. Most of the victims are attending the Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA) annual trade show being held at the America’s Center Convention Complex.

As of the end of October 2022, there were 614 reported thefts from vehicles up to that point in the year in the city of St. Louis. From January 2023 through the end of October, there were 242 vehicle break-ins. That’s a drop of 61%.

Caitlyn Brenner works Downtown near the hotel.

“Maybe a couple of years previous I was hearing some people may be getting their cars broken into at Blues games, things like that. But I haven’t heard anything lately,” Brenner said.

Police were responding to the scene, and a police car proceeded to crash into a civilian car near Washington Avenue and Broadway, a block from where the security guard was shot at. Both the officer and the other driver were transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The break-in suspects are still at large, with police actively searching. The suspects are believed to be driving a silver Nissan with a Mississippi license plate.

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