Police: Officers fatally shoot man near St. Louis

JENNINGS, Mo. - County police officers shot and killed a man after he allegedly pointed a rifle at them during a chase in suburban St. Louis, less than five miles from the site of the August shooting of a black 18-year-old by a white Ferguson officer that sparked weeks of unrest.

The shooting happened Wednesday night in Jennings a St. Louis County town of 15,000 residents. Nearly 90 percent of Jennings residents are black. St. Louis County police spokesman Brian Schellman told The Associated Press that the suspect was black and both officers were white. Names have not been released.

St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar was scheduled to speak at a news conference at 10:30 a.m.

County police were called to a home twice by a woman who said an armed man was knocking on her door, Sgt. Brian Schellman told The Associated Press.

When officers came the second time, they saw the man leaving in a car, Schellman said. When the officers tried to make contact, the man sped up, causing the officers to jump out of the way and striking two police cars. The man then got out and ran away on foot.

The foot chase went into a construction area, where the man went behind a construction vehicle, Schellman said. He turned toward the officers and pointed the rifle at them. The officers opened fire and the man died at the scene, Schellman said.

Schellman said he did not know if the suspect fired his rifle but said authorities recovered it and it was loaded. The officers were not injured.

He said the suspect knew the woman who lived at the home.

Michael Brown of Ferguson was fatally shot by Ferguson officer Darren Wilson on Aug. 9. Since then, St. Louis-area police have been involved in two other fatal shootings. Kajieme Powell, 25, was shot Aug. 19 after moving toward St. Louis city officers with a knife while telling them, "Shoot me now. Kill me now." Both officers fired six shots each, and Powell died at the scene.