A woman in St. Louis tragically shot and killed herself during a police response to a domestic disturbance, according to Lt. Col. Michael Sack of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. Officers had been called to the scene after the woman, who was distraught over an argument with her boyfriend, was reported to be waving a handgun.
Sack explained that the incident began when the woman, armed during the argument, had her gun taken away by her boyfriend, who then tried to calm her down and drove away. However, she managed to retrieve the gun and fired shots, prompting a neighbor to call the police.
Upon arrival, officers and crisis response team members urged the woman to drop the gun. She raised it quickly, and an officer fired a shot almost simultaneously as she fatally shot herself. The boyfriend, who had left the scene, later cooperated with the investigation.
The police found no evidence of additional gunshot wounds and continue to investigate the incident. The woman was in her 50s, and no one else was harmed. The involved officer will undergo a standard evaluation per department policy.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department offers support through its Domestic Abuse Response Team for those experiencing domestic violence.