St. Louis police shoots, kills man during struggle over gun

ST. LOUIS (AP) - Authorities say a St. Louis police officer has fatally shot a man during a struggle over a gun.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the shooting happened Thursday night after officers stopped a suspicious car in an area known for drug sales and robberies. Police Chief John Hayden says the passenger took off running and jumped over a fence. Hayden says an officer followed him into a backyard, where the man pulled out a gun. A struggle then ensued. Hayden says the officer repeatedly ordered the suspect to drop the weapon before shooting the man in the torso.

The suspect died at a hospital. His name wasn’t immediately released. No officers were hurt. Police say the driver of the suspicious car drove off and hasn’t been found.

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Information from: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, http://www.stltoday.com