A Police Officer was shot today in Ballwin, Missouri outside of St. Louis.
UPDATE: The Ballwin Police Chief said the police officer was ambushed.
CBS Local reported:
Ballwin Police Chief Kevin Scott, St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar and St. Louis County Executive Steve Stenger addressed the media during a news conference at Ballwin police headquarters on Friday afternoon.
Scott says the incident began with a traffic stop in the 300 block of New Ballwin Road when the officer pulled over a vehicle. The officer then got out of his patrol car, approached the vehicle and had a conversation with the driver. Scott says as the officer was walking back to his patrol car, with his back turned, the driver got out of his vehicle, and fired three shots, hitting the officer at least once.
Belmar said, “We believe the Ballwin officer was ambushed. Period.”
According to Scott, the suspect then ran from the scene, fleeing northbound on New Ballwin Road.
The officer was shot in the neck three times.
Police officer shot in Ballwin: A police officer has been shot in Ballwin, KSDK has reported. The officer is being… https://t.co/jrgh9nfusw
— Breaking STL News (@breakingstlnews) July 8, 2016
The scene of the crime.
The scene where the #Ballwin officer was shot after pulling a Taurus over in a traffic stop. Suspect in custody. pic.twitter.com/WBj8t0MEE8
— Rafer Weigel (@RaferWeigel) July 8, 2016
From my sources. The suspect is on foot near Manchester and Highway 141 west of St. Louis.
The suspect was captured.
The man was reportedly driving an older-model blue Ford Taurus with an Illinois temporary license plate.
UPDATE: The Ballwin officer is in critical condition.
KMOV.com
Earlier today we had an officer who was shot in the line of
duty. The officer is currently in critical
but stable condition. (1/2)— Ballwin Police Dept (@BallwinPolice) July 8, 2016
The Officer was shot DURING A TRAFFIC STOP!
Another cop shot, during traffic stop in St. Louis. https://t.co/fE0xpCwaOC
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) July 8, 2016
Officer shot in #Ballwin. An image of the suspect's vehicle from @Bommaritoauto SkyFOX helicopter pic.twitter.com/0viuBz9dlU
— FOX2now (@FOX2now) July 8, 2016
Very large scene on New Ballwin Road where a police officer was shot. https://t.co/xVE63zRZPg pic.twitter.com/oMXQQlRfGU
— Ashley Jost (@ajost) July 8, 2016
Source tells me #Ballwin officer was shot three times in the neck during a traffic stop for speeding. Rushed to Mercy. Condition not good.
— Jacob Long (@JacobLong_KSDK) July 8, 2016
Some of the comments on this latest shooting are disturbing.
A cop was shot in Ballwin, which is heartbreaking. What's even more heartbreaking is some of the comments pic.twitter.com/AL0SJMFagk
— silly (@getSILLYes) July 8, 2016