St. Louis County detective shoots man shot in leg after he stole a car and phone at gunpoint
By: Charges were filed Wednesday against a 21-year-old man who was shot in the leg by police after a Tuesday evening pursuit in Berkeley.
St. Louis County prosecutors charged Larry Lucas with one count each of first-degree robbery, armed criminal action, resisting arrest with a felony and unlawful use of a weapon.
According to a probable cause statement, Lucas and another person took a woman's 2022 Dodge Charger and cell phone at gunpoint in a Schnucks parking lot.
The shooting happened just before 5:30 p.m. on the 6600 block of Larry Lane, a small residential street near the intersection of North Hanley Road and Frost Avenue. Officers from police departments throughout the St. Louis area responded to the "officer in need of aid" call.
According to the St. Louis County Police Department, detectives with the department's Bureau of Drug Enforcement were at an apartment complex at Hanley Road and Franciola Drive when they saw a Dodge Charger that had been taken less than two hours prior. The detectives tried to pull the car over, but the driver wouldn't stop.
Spike strips were deployed, and three people jumped out of the car when it came to a stop. A 15-year-old and a 23-year-old were arrested after a brief foot chase.
Lucas ran from detectives while armed with a handgun, police said. Police said Lucas pointed the gun at officers during the chase, and three detectives fired at him, shooting him in the leg.
Video shot by Antenisha Young, who was driving by at the time of the incident, showed two of the suspects jumping a fence and running before officers opened fire. At least five gunshots could be heard.
Police applied a tourniquet and Lucas was taken to an area hospital. The injury was not life-threatening, police said.
The detectives were not injured. They are a 36-year-old with 14 years of law enforcement experience and two 37-year-olds, both with 13 years of law enforcement experience.
Police recovered a handgun with an extended magazine from the man who was shot, along with what police believe to be a "Glock switch," a device that can be attached to a semi-automatic Glock pistol to make it fully automatic.
Lucas was ordered to be held on a $250,000 bond.
The 15-year-old suspect was being held by St. Louis County Family Court on anticipated charges of robbery, tampering and resisting arrest. The 23-year-old man who was also arrested had not been charged as of Wednesday.