A teen has been fatally shot by a Police Officer, in St Louis Missouri, at approximately 7:30p.m. An off duty police officer (Sam Dotson) was patrolling streets of Shaw neighborhood as a “moonlighter,” for a Hi-Tech company. When he noticed three teens acting “suspiciously,” he made a u-turn and the teens began to flee. Shortly thereafter, the officer left his vehicle and began chasing them on foot. Running up hill, one of the teens, turned around and fired three shots before he was shot 17 times by Dotson. The gunman was identified by family members as, 18 year old, Vonderrit Myers Jr. Police later found a 9mm Ruger on the scene.
His family members claim he was unarmed. That he was carrying a sandwich, he bought moments before.
His Uncle Tyrone Myers, states, “All I know is he came out the store with a sandwich. Next thing, he’s shot several times by a cop who was chasing someone else.”
In an unrelated violation that happened earlier this year, Vonderrit Myers Jr. was due in court (this November) for unlawful use of weapons and resisting arrest.
Police Chief Sam Dotson, has been in the force for 6 years and is currently on “administrative leave.” At a police briefing this Thursday, Dotson stated an internal crime investigation has been assigned to the case.
Missouri’s state senator, Maria Chappelle-Nedal spoke with CNN’s Brooke Baldwin this thursday, saying, that folks do not want this to be treated like the Ferguson case. Many of the protestors took to social media as a way to get answers. However, in the hours following the shooting there was a lot of speculation going on. “It’s my hope that all the facts are made clear and transparent for everyone in the region.”
Photo Via David Carson / St. Louis Post-Dispatch
