ST. LOUIS — A 13-year-old boy is in the hospital after he was shot Sunday in downtown St. Louis.
St. Louis police said the shooting happened just before noon on the 1100 block of Washington Avenue. The boy told police he left the Shell gas station and was walking south on Tucker Boulevard when he turned onto Washington Avenue and saw three men. One of them pulled out a gun and shot at him, and he returned fire.
The boy was struck in the leg and the suspects ran away. He was taken to a hospital, where he was listed in serious, stable condition.
St. Louis police did not list the ages of the suspects.
In a separate incident several hours later, a 17-year-old was shot in an exchange of gunfire between teenagers in St. Louis. The victim in that incident said he had just walked out of Niko's Grocery and Grill on 1408 Union Blvd. when he spotted three teens outside.
The two groups shot at each other and he ran away, later realizing he had been shot. Police said he was taken to the hospital but didn't have an update on his condition as of Monday morning. The suspects, two boys and a girl, were all between the age of 15 and 18, police said.
This is a developing story. It will be updated as more information becomes available.
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/
