ST. LOUIS (KTVI) – FOX 2 has learned the suspect, shot and killed last week by police, showed off his stolen gun to anyone who would look. We obtained pictures of Vonderrit Myers Jr. showing off his handguns on social media. Fox Files investigator Chris Hayes reveals the evidence while exploring why the officer shot at Myers 17 times.
Vonderrit Myers Jr. reportedly posted a picture on social media before someone dismantled the page. You can see three handguns in his lap, including a 9 millimeter Smith and Wesson semi-automatic.
Brian Millikan, the attorney for the officer who shot Myers said, ‘The one weapon with the silver slide on it has been positively identified by my client as the gun that was used in the shooting that night.’
The suspect’s family claimed publicly that Myers did not have a gun.
Millikan said, ‘We want people to know, not only did he have it but this is the actual weapon that he used that night.’
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch acquired surveillance video of Myers and others buying a sandwich. Myers is not wearing a hooded sweatshirt and does not appear to be carrying a gun. The video shows Myers left the store at about 7:05. It was about 20 minutes later when the off duty St. Louis Metropolitan police officer, who was wearing his uniform and working secondary, described seeing three men, including Myers now in a hooded sweatshirt.
Millikan said, ‘There was no initial stop or pedestrian check in this case.’ Millikan added, ‘(The officer is) patrolling. He notices these individuals start running in different directions. Ultimately he sees the suspect involved in the shooting, holding his waistband.’
The SLMPD incident report states Myers ignored the officers ‘verbal commands’ and ‘moved towards the officer’ aggressively. The report says it became ‘hands on’ and Myers ‘hooded sweatshirt came off.’
Millikan then explained, ‘The suspect, where he began shooting at the police officer, was on higher ground, basically, than the policeman. So he has a tactical advantage because he`s shooting down at the policeman.’
Millikan said the officer was at the bottom of a hill and forced to get down. Millikan explained why his client fired 17 shots. He said, ‘Part of those rounds were suppression rounds to try to get the suspect to stop shooting at him. So the way it was described to me is the police man`s got his gun up here, he`s down trying to avoid fire coming at him and his gun is raised slightly above his head, shooting up at back up at the suspect.’
Millikan says police also found what they believe to be a bullet fragment in a car behind the officer.
St. Louis City police say the suspect shot at the officer three times before his gun jammed. Investigators tested the suspect`s gun, but have not released results. Investigators are also waiting for crime lab results on possible gunpowder residue on Myers` hands.
The officer, who`s now on standard leave, is a Marine Corps veteran with three combat tours under his belt. Millikan feels it`s his extensive combat training that kept him alive last Wednesday night.
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