ST. LOUIS — A woman is in custody after police say she traded gunfire with police Friday morning in St. Louis' Downtown West neighborhood.
The incident happened around 9:45 a.m. in the 700 block of N. 16th St. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department said they received a call that a woman in her 40s was threatening to shoot up the Social Security Administration office.
When officers arrived, the woman, who was inside a Gold Toyota minivan, told police that she was going to shoot up the office. At that point, officers called for backup.
A sergeant was standing at the woman's door and trying to convince her to get out of the car when she fired her gun, police said. Officers returned fire.
No one was struck. Following the exchange, the woman threw the gun from the car and surrendered, police said.
The woman lived out of her van and is well known to officers and people in the neighborhood, police said.
“I'm pretty sure that nobody was aware that she had a gun and her mental state. I mean this really could have got bad,” said Lt. John Green.
This all unfolded in Downtown West just hours before the St. Louis Board of Aldermen welcomed the city's new police chief.
“I'm going to change the playbook a little bit but really talented officers. I think we can get this job done. Working with the community. Community engagement. Business leaders. Elected officials,” Chief Robert Tracy said.
5 On Your Side asked Tracy what the first big focus on the job will be.
It was unclear why the woman was threatening to shoot up the building.
The Force Investigation Unit, which investigates police shootings, is investigating the incident.