Updated at 9 p.m. with deceased's name.
A 23-year-old black man was killed by police Tuesday in a shooting involving two white officers in St. Louis' Dutchtown neighborhood, according to St. Louis Metropolitan Police.
Police have identified the deceased as Ledarius D. Williams of the 1000 block of Durness Drive. His next of kin have been notified.
The incident occurred in the 4100 block of Minnesota Avenue, around 3:35 p.m. Police Chief Sam Dotson told reporters that the two officers were patrolling the neighborhood when they saw a man, who "they know from the neighborhood," who was acting "suspiciously."
Dotson said that as the officers turned their vehicle to approach him, the man began to run while "holding his waistband." After a foot pursuit, the man tried to hide behind a bush before the officers attempted to arrest him, police said. A "hands-on struggle" ensued during which they fell to the ground, and the man produced a gun and tried to point it at the officers, Dotson said.
"If I wanted to describe a struggle for your life, one of the officers today is covered in mud, literally head-to-toe, where they were rolling on the ground in the mud with the suspect as they were trying to gain control of this gun," Dotson said.
That is when one officer fired four shots, striking the man, Dotson said. The man was taken to a hospital and later pronounced dead.
Dotson said police had recovered a hand gun on the scene, later identified as a Springfield Armory 45-caliber. Police said the gun had been reported stolen in Alabama in 2013.
Police listed two "victims" in the preliminary details of the incident: a 29-year-old officer with nearly seven years on the force and a 24-year-old officer with about two years experience. Neither officer was injured in the incident.
By 6 p.m., a crowd of about 40 people had gathered near the scene of the shooting, including some people who were crying.
Following police department policy, the officer who fired his weapon has been placed on administrative leave, police said. The Force Investigative Unit will investigate the shooting.
