ST. LOUIS — An investigation is underway after a woman was shot and killed on Interstate 70 in St. Louis late Wednesday night.
Just before midnight, St. Louis police were called to westbound I-70 near Cass Avenue for a report of a shooting. When officers arrived, they found the victim’s vehicle overturned in the grass shoulder just before the Madison Street exit, which is in the Old North St. Louis area of north city.
The victim was found inside the car suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. The car had also sustained ballistic damage, according to a police report. The woman was pronounced dead at the scene.
On Friday, police identified the victim as 32-year-old Latasha Cole.
Police said a sedan pulled alongside the victim and fired shots into her vehicle before driving away from the area.
No other information about the shooting has been released.
Since September 2020, there have been at least five other shootings along I-70.
When questioned about the violence, a St. Louis police spokesperson sent the following statement to 5 On Your Side's Rhyan Henson:
"These incidents you mentioned span not only a large stretch of the interstate, but they also have occurred over a substantial amount of time (seven months). While we cannot speak to each incident specifically as most are ongoing investigations, there is no indication that they are connected at this time.
"These investigations are being handled by multiple district detectives as well as Homicide Detectives who are all in constant contact and share information, as necessary. Additionally, our Department has been and will continue to coordinate with MOSHP in efforts to patrol our highways.We would point out that investigating highway shootings can be difficult as there is typically a lack of witnesses. However, it is always our Department’s goal to ensure the safety of all citizens and visitors of the City of St. Louis, and we encourage anyone with any information to contact CrimeStoppers at 866-371-TIPS (8477)."
Resources for crime victims:
If you have been a victim of a crime or know someone who has been, 5 On Your Side has compiled a list of resources.
- Better Family Life is a nonprofit community development organization working to “stabilize inner-city neighborhoods.” One aspect of its mission is a gun violence de-escalation program. To learn more, call 314-381-8200 or visit https://www.betterfamilylife.org/
- Life Outside of Violence “helps those harmed by stabbing, gunshot or assault receive the treatment, support and resources they need to find alternatives to end the cycle of violence.” To learn more, call 314-327-6697 or email: ProjectLOV@WUSTL.edu
- The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis has an anti-crime program called “Safety Net for Youth Initiative,” which is a joint partnership between and Saint Louis Public Schools to provide services to at-risk youth. To learn more, visit https://www.ulstl.com/anti-crime-initiative.html
- Cure Violence is an international organization that has recently launched in a handful of St. Louis neighborhoods. Violence interrupters are trained to deescalate violent situations within their own communities. To learn more, visit https://cvg.org/