In the early hours of a Sunday morning, the downtown area of St. Louis was shaken by a shooting incident just after 1 a.m.
Ten young people, all under 18, were victims of the gunfire. Tragically, one life was lost, while the other nine are receiving medical care in nearby hospitals.
The scene of the incident now stands quiet, with only some discarded police tape offering mute testimony to the previous night’s violence. It’s still unknown what specifically led to the shooting.
However, it’s notable that there are several bars in the vicinity that operate late into the night.
This area of downtown St. Louis has a history of attracting large crowds that have, at times, devolved into fights, shootings, and a rise in crime. Such incidents have sparked frustration among local residents, some of whom direct their ire at the late-night businesses. These places deny any responsibility, and they have called for increased police presence.
A recent episode in mid-May saw large gatherings on Locust downtown, with fights breaking out among several armed individuals. The police managed to disperse the crowd without further trouble, only to be summoned back to the same spot for a similar situation about 20 minutes later.
After the crowd started to disperse from the second altercation, gunfire echoed from the direction of Olive Street. The previous weekend, bystanders had recorded videos showing individuals roaming with firearms and engaging in fights near the Olive and 9th Street areas.