ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – A 14-year-old died from their injuries just days after a shooting in St. Louis County, which comes at a time when three children have been shot within 10 days.
“That’s a lot. That’s too many,” Lt. Justin Nichols with the St. Louis County Police Department said. “As police officers, that is what we definitely do not want to be around and see. That is tragic—that affects our lives just as well as it affects the individuals involved. We are brought into that. Then you go home to your loved ones and it just plays in your mind at times.”
St. Louis County Police say they responded to 20 gun injuries involving children in 2024. Those victims ages ranged from 2 to 17 years old. Only one of those was an accidental shooting, with nine of them claiming the lives of teenagers between 15 and 17 years old.
Nichols added that it is time for uncomfortable conversations about gun safety.
“It is better to have that uncomfortable conversation on the front end than to collectively be grieving on the back end. At the St. Louis County Police Department, we want to be part of the solution when it comes to ensuring that our citizens are safe,” he said.
Free gun locks are available at every county police precinct. Officers are also handing out brochures for additional safety precautions, and if you’re a new gun owner, Nichols said officers are available to talk about safety.
“There’s a lot of individuals out there that are new to firearms. Understand that they have a drastic need to protect themselves and their families and loved ones from harm, but in doing so, there also is a responsibility that comes with that,” he said.