Suburban St. Louis Officer Shoots, Kills 18-Year-Old Suspect Near Ferguson

An 18-year-old suspect was shot and killed Tuesday night in the parking lot of a Berkeley, Mo., convenience store after reportedly pulling a handgun and pointing it at a police officer. The incident occurred only a few miles from Ferguson and sparked a violent protest.

St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar said the officer was responding to a report of stealing at a Mobil on the Run station about 11:15 p.m. Tuesday when the deadly shooting happened, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch  reports.

The officer saw two men on the parking lot in the 6800 block of North Hanley Road and began talking with them.

Belmar said one of the men approached the driver's side of the vehicle.

One of the individuals "produced a pistol with his arm straight out, pointing it straight at the officer kind of from across the hood," Belmar said.

At that point, the chief said, the officer got his service weapon "and fired what we think is three shots." Belmar said one round struck the suspect, an 18-year-old black male, and one struck a tire of the police car. Police said they did not immediately know where the third round went.

The officer, who is 34 and white, is a six-year veteran of the department, Belmar said. He was placed on investigative leave, which is standard.