Why Would St. Louis Police Shoot One Of Their Own?

St. Louis Police are investigating a shooting of a cop by one of its own.

The independent city of St. Louis is the second largest city in Missouri. It's called "The Gateway to the West." and the famous Arch welcomes Americans to the west. It sits on the Mississippi River.

The highways that travel through the city and metropolitan area include Interstates 44, 55, 64, 70, 170, 255, U.S. 40, U.S. 50, U.S. 61 and U.S. 6.7 The city's metro includes the suburbs of St. Louis County, the cities of St. Charles, Chesterfield and the Illinois cities of Alton and East St. Louis.

St. Louis is the midpoint between Chicago, Tulsa, Memphis, Kansas City, Louisville and Indianapolis.

The city's current population is 313,000 residents. The majority of the city's population is 53% Black and 44% White. It's one of the many cities stuck in the Rust Belt.

An off duty officer was wounded by "friendly fire" as police were looking for suspects in a stolen vehicle. They fled police and crashed into a pole on Wednesday.

The officer who was off duty was shot after another officer didn't notice who he was.

DeAndre Chaney.

The officer is being treated for his injuries and was just released yesterday.

Interim Police Chief Lawrence O'Toole was telling the junk food media, that the incident was unfortunate and it was crossfire that led to the shooting.

The injured officer was Black and the officer who shot him was White.

According to the department summary of the incident released, two officers who encountered the armed off-duty officer ordered him to the ground. He complied. When they recognized the off-duty officer, they told him he could stand up and walk towards them.

Another officer who arrived at the scene saw the officer. He didn't recognize him and fired his weapon at the off-duty officer. The officer was hit in the arm.

The officer who fired his service weapon will be place in the freezer determining if the officer's use of force was justified. The other officers who ordered the off-duty officer to ground will be likely placed in the freezer pending an investigation whether they were justified in detaining the off-duty officer.

Courtney Smith.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch first reported on the incident on Thursday. Police sources did acknowledge that the officers "fucked up" big time.

The chase started around 10pm when license plate recognition equipment alerted police to the vehicle that was stolen in Maryland Heights. Officers began a pursuit of the vehicle. They used spike strips to disable the vehicle and it crashed.

The three people inside the car started to scatter. The occupants in the car allegedly started shooting at the police. The officers backed off but continued to follow the car.

One of the officers fired upon the suspects injuring him.

Seven officers were involved in this. The officer who was shot name wasn't released to the junk food media. He is 38 years old and been with the department for 11 years. The officer who shot him is 36 years old and been with the department for 8 years.

All of those involved were placed in the freezer. The department's Force Investigation Unit will promptly look into whether the shootings were justified.

The suspects were named are 17 years old. They will be charged as adults and have need $500K to get a "free card."

DeAndre Chaney and Courtney Smith were charged with first degree assault, seven counts of armed criminal action, felony fleeing and eluding, tempering with evidence and reckless endangerment.

They are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

The family of Michael Brown will receive payment from the city of Ferguson.

Mind you in neighboring St. Louis County, the city of Ferguson just paid the family of Michael Brown the amount of $1.5 million in damages.

The city of Ferguson will issue the sum to Lezley McSpadden and Michael Brown, Sr. the parents of the teen who was killed by Darren Wilson, the former officer who shot him in 2014.

It touched off days of unrest and it lead to a national discussion about Black interactions with law enforcement. Black Lives Matter became a focal voice in the matter.

Wilson was not found criminally liable for the shooting. He has since resigned from the force. The mayor, James Knowles III, Tom Jackson, former police chief and Wilson were named in the lawsuit.

Federal judge Richard Webber sealed the details of the statement.

Ferguson was ordered to change its policies and admitted that it disproportionately targeted Black motorists. Some city officials were fired out the cannon when they were caught sending racially offensive emails about the case, then president Barack Obama and Black people in general.

Ferguson is recruiting more officers of color and is reducing it's zero tolerance rules when it comes to fines owed to the city.