‘Complete chaos’: 6 injured after shooting at funeral home

Ferguson police Chief Troy Doyle speaks to reporters about a shooting at a funeral home.
Funeral home shooting: Ferguson police Chief Troy Doyle speaks to reporters about a shooting at a funeral home on Wednesday. (Ferguson Police Department)

FERGUSON, Mo. — At least six people were injured on Wednesday when gunshots were fired at a suburban St. Louis funeral home, police said.

Hundreds of mourners were attending a service in Ferguson, Missouri, for a man who was shot and killed while celebrating his 19th birthday in nearby Jennings on Jan. 5, KMOV reported.

Patricia A. Washington, a spokesperson for the Ferguson Police Department, said the shooting occurred at 11:58 a.m. CT at the Cotten-Branch Mortuary.

During a news conference, Ferguson police Chief Troy Doyle called the scene “complete chaos.”

Police said that three people were struck by gunfire and two were cut by flying glass, KSDK reported. A sixth person fleeing the scene was injured after being struck by a vehicle.

Doyle told reporters that the gunshot victims had “non-life-threatening injuries.”

“Anytime you have a shooting, it’s a tragedy in our community. It’s unfortunate,” Doyle said. “You have loved ones that come to a funeral to grieve a member of their family and, unfortunately, are subjected to this type of chaos.”

Dawn Hall, who was sitting in her car across the street, told KMOV that she heard gunshots and saw people running.

“I’m just sitting here in my car and then I heard the gunshots,” Hall told the television station. “And I looked up and I saw all the people running out saying, ‘Run, they’re shooting in there.’

“Oh, it’s very scary and disheartening. And I’m sure it’s very, very sad for the family. Very, very sad.”

Doyle said that officers responding to the scene obtained descriptions of the shooter and took “several persons of interest” into custody. Several guns were recovered at the scene.

No arrests have been made and no charges have been filed, KMOV reported. An investigation is ongoing, police said.

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