ST. LOUIS — A spate of shootings during and after Fourth of July festivities left two people dead and at least 12 injured — including a 13-year-old boy — throughout the region.
The two fatal shootings happened in north ºüÀêÊÓƵ County within about an hour of each other, and both were at “heavily attended fireworks gatherings.â€
And in downtown ºüÀêÊÓƵ seven people were injured in a chaotic scene that unfolded near Seventh and Chestnut streets.
In the first county shooting, a man was gunned down in the Glasgow Village just before 10:30 p.m. Police said he was shot in the 10200 block of Valley Drive.
He died at a hospital.
Then, shortly after 11 p.m., ºüÀêÊÓƵ County police were called to the Spanish Lake area in the 1200 block of Lakeview Avenue, about 3 miles north of the first shooting.
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One man was killed and five others were wounded.
Police haven’t said if the homicides were connected and have not released the name of either man who died.
Meanwhile, in ºüÀêÊÓƵ city, a violent night unfolded after fireworks and festivities ended downtown.
“On July 4, thousands of residents and visitors safely celebrated Independence Day in downtown ºüÀêÊÓƵ with little issue,†said Mitch McCoy, ºüÀêÊÓƵ police spokesperson. “It’s unfortunate that well after the fireworks and festivities ended, some chose to stay downtown to illegally discharge fireworks which ultimately resulted in gunfire.â€
Four people who went to a hospital with gunshot wounds told police they were walking near Eighth and Pine streets and heard gunfire after midnight.
The victims were two men, ages 18 and 20, and two women, both 18. The 20-year-old man is from Florissant. One of the 18-year-old women is from ºüÀêÊÓƵ, and the other is from north ºüÀêÊÓƵ County. Police don’t know where the 18-year-old man is from.
About the same time, a 13-year-old boy from Florissant was shot near Seventh and Chestnut streets.
Two 23-year-old men, both from north ºüÀêÊÓƵ County, also showed up at a hospital with gunshot wounds. They had been hit by gunfire near Seventh and Chestnut streets as well. The men told police they had been watching people shoot off illegal fireworks when they were shot.
None of the victims in the city had life-threatening injuries, police said.
Investigators have not said what might have prompted any of the night’s violent incidents.
Police also received 270 calls regarding fireworks on July 4 through 2 a.m. on Friday, said Sgt. Charles Wall.
Crews with the ºüÀêÊÓƵ Fire Department were called to 87 fires from Thursday morning to Friday morning. Fifty-eight of those were dumpster fires. That’s fewer fire calls than the department had over the holiday in the last few years.
Dana Rieck of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.