ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- Police shot and killed a man they said pointed a gun at them on Wednesday near Calvary Cemetery.
The man was identified tonight as Stephon Averyhart, 27, of the 5400 block of Ruskin Avenue.
Averyhart was fleeing from police in St. Louis County shortly before noon today, police said. A police helicopter spotted the man's car and St. Louis officers started to follow the vehicle, police said.
Police used spike strips to disable the car, and the car crashed into a utility pole near Union Boulevard and Harney Avenue, police said. The driver, holding a gun, ran down and alley and the officers followed, drawing their weapons.
They came around a corner and saw the man pointing his gun at them. Two officers, "in fear of their safety" opened fire, according to a police department account of the incident.
The man was hit in the head. He was alive when taken to the hospital, died from his injuries, police said.
Police recovered a gun and narcotics from the scene.
The officers were not injured. The department identified them as a 35-year-old officer with 10 1/2 years on the force and a 32-year-old officer with eight years on the force. The officers were placed on administrative leave, as is department policy in officer-involved shootings.
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McClatchy-Tribune News Service
