ST. LOUIS — Two officers were injured after a fatal shooting and police chase in St. Louis Wednesday morning.
Officers first responded to a report of a shooting shortly after 10 a.m. in the 8700 block of North Broadway, which is in the Baden neighborhood. They arrived to find a man with gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene, St. Louis police confirmed.
The view from a 5 On Your Side photojournalist at the scene showed police tape and vehicles blocked off a section of North Broadway. The victim was found outside on the pavement, according to police.
The victim was identified Friday as Leshaun Benson, a 29-year-old man from St. Louis.
While responding to the shooting, officers noticed a vehicle speeding away from the scene. They tried to pull over the vehicle, but the driver refused to stop, prompting a chase through parts of St. Louis and St. Louis County. Police used a tire deflation device to disable the vehicle near Kingshighway and Page boulevards. The device worked but the suspects got out of the car and ran off near Page Boulevard and Cora Avenue.
Both suspects were taken into custody. One of the suspects, a 27-year-old man, was suffering from a gunshot wound and several cuts on his body. He was taken to a hospital for treatment. The other suspect, also a 27-year-old man, wasn't injured.
Two officers were injured in the incident and taken to the hospital for treatment. One officer suffered a knee injury and the other had minor injuries to his hands. The officer who suffered a knee injury has been released from the hospital.
According to 5 On Your Side’s internal records, the Wednesday morning shooting marks the 100th shooting in the city so far in 2021.
Anyone with information is urged to call the Homicide Division directly at 314-444-5371, or anyone with a tip who wants to remain anonymous and is interested in a reward can 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/