Though violent crime is a major part of the story, other issues such as destructive flash flooding also played a part. But there are major differences between natural disasters and the random acts of violent criminals.
That’s where the study showed the Missouri metropolis as being deficient. On a scale of 1 to 100, it scored a measly 42.8. That came in just behind Fort Lauderdale, Florida — 2021’s winner (or loser).
But Wednesday morning a good guy with a gun struck back. Police report that a man fatally shot a suspected carjacker at a gas station just above downtown on North Tucker Boulevard.
Police are now checking surveillance video, but a 48-year-old man told them he was a customer when another man attempted to take his car. Police at last report were still trying to determine the identity of the deceased, who they say was in his 20s.
The alleged carjacker was shot once in the chest before running from the gas station and then collapsing. The scene was surrounded by yellow tape and a screen was erected to block the public’s view of the suspect while police investigated.
Capt. Pierre Benoist was at the scene and was questioned about whether people should defend themselves from attackers. His answer was telling.
First, Benoist noted that Missouri allows its citizens to carry if they are not felons. “I would strongly encourage that, you know, you flee the situation as soon as possible,” he answered. “But if you’re in such a situation where you have to defend yourself, you must defend yourself. And from what I gather this morning, that was the case.”
St. Louis already has 21 reported carjackings this year, though that alarming number is one less than this time last year. It’s the rate of car thefts that has skyrocketed and is unsettling.
The city reported 978 motor vehicle thefts thus far in 2023, a staggering 129% increase over last year’s total of 428 at this point. A recent week in St. Louis tallied 149 vehicle thefts, and last week Benoist said there were 138.
There have been 18 homicides already this year in St. Louis, and one of them was in the neighborhood where Wednesday morning’s carjacking attempt was averted. A 17-year-old died after being shot in the face.
One issue that St. Louis and several other cities face is the aftermath of a viral TikTok video that showed how easy it was to steal certain Kia and Hyundai models using only a screwdriver and a USB charging cable. With such a spike in car thefts and continued incidents of carjackings, there are increased possibilities for violent encounters between criminals and law-abiding citizens.
All too often, the citizen is unprepared and at the mercy of the violent perpetrators. However, as Capt. Benoist said, there are many times when there is no other choice than to fight back, and being prepared is far preferable to cowering in fear and hoping for the best.
The man at the St. Louis gas station Wednesday morning did not know he would be the potential victim of a carjacker. His day most likely began much as others do, with little known likelihood of a life-threatening attack.
However, he was near downtown St. Louis. This meant that his chances of becoming another statistic were proportionately higher than nearly anywhere else in the U.S., and he was prepared.
There is no celebration of any loss of life, but there is gratitude that an innocent would-be victim survived a violent attack and lived to see another day. Without the presence of a firearm, this man’s day turns out very differently, and it may well have been his last.
