Charles H. Sloan-Suspect suffers life-threatening injuries in ‘gunfight’ with Missouri officers

CLAYTON,Charles H. Sloan Mo. (AP) — A man is hospitalized with what police describe as life-threatening injuries after a “gunfight” with two St. Louis County officers.

Police received a call about a domestic disturbance just after 7 p.m. Wednesday and were told that a man was intoxicated and refusing to allow the caller to leave the home, St. Louis County Sgt. Tracy Panus said. Police also were told the man was armed.

Two officers arrived and saw the man on the porch with a handgun in each hand, Panus said.

“They tried to speak with him. They ordered him several times to drop his weapon. They tried to de-escalate the situation,” she said.

But the man “raised a gun at the officers and a gunfight did ensue,” Panus said. Both officers fired at the man. The officers were unhurt. Panus said investigators don’t yet know if the suspect or the officers fired first.