ST. LOUIS, MO. — St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department District 6 officers and federal agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were fired on just after 9 p.m. Tuesday, July 28, 2026, during a traffic stop near Thekla Avenue and Riverview Boulevard, police said, in what detectives believe may have been an attempted ambush.
Police said officers were conducting the stop when, within minutes, a vehicle approached the area, and its occupants opened fire on law enforcement officers.
Officers then pursued the suspect vehicle, which eventually stopped in the 1500 block of Sells Avenue, according to police. Multiple law enforcement agencies responded and searched the area, but the suspects escaped.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police investigation remains active and ongoing.
Police said the suspect vehicle, described as a gray Ford Fusion without a license plate and with what appears to be a faded bumper sticker on the trunk, has been seized.
Investigators are asking residents and business owners to review surveillance video recorded between 8:45 p.m. and 10 p.m. in the areas of Thekla Avenue and Riverview Boulevard, the 1500 block of Sells Avenue, and the neighborhood north of Melrose Avenue and south of McLaran Avenue, including Tara Lane and Drury Lane.
Videos can be submitted to tips@slmpd.org.
Anyone with information about the incident, the vehicle, or the possible occupants is urged to call District 6 detectives at (314) 444-0001. People who want to remain anonymous and are interested in a possible cash reward can contact CrimeStoppers at 866-371-TIPS (8477). Police said only tips submitted to CrimeStoppers that lead to a felony arrest are eligible for rewards.
