As fireworks complaints increase ahead of the Fourth of July, St. Louis police are urging residents to call 911 instead of confronting people who are illegally discharging fireworks.
Mitch McCoy, public affairs and information director for the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, said the warning follows a June 14 shooting in the 900 block of Rutger Street. Officers were called to the area just before 2 a.m. and found a man who had been shot after confronting a group of people who had been setting off fireworks in his neighborhood. The man suffered injuries that were not considered life threatening.
McCoy said the incident shows how quickly fireworks complaints can turn dangerous.
“They are already creating a danger by discharging the fireworks, but what we have seen is that there are individuals who are armed, and they are not afraid to fire off their gun,” McCoy said.
The department said residents should not approach people setting off fireworks. Instead, they should call 911 and provide as much information as possible, including the location, descriptions of those involved and whether weapons are visible.
McCoy said fireworks calls are triaged through the city’s 911 center along with other calls for service. Emergency calls, including priority shootings, receive the fastest response, while fireworks complaints are considered lower priority. Still, real-time information from residents helps officers decide where and how to respond.
“As we get closer to the Fourth of July, we will have another detail put together to help us not only make sure that everyone is safe downtown, but that we are able to respond in an adequate way on the night of the Fourth of July,” McCoy said.
The fireworks detail will be part of the department’s annual Fourth of July operation. McCoy said there have also been discussions about beginning enforcement efforts the day before the holiday.
People caught illegally discharging fireworks in the city could receive a summons. McCoy said officers may also use discretion in holding parents accountable when children are involved.
Police also are investigating reports of illegal fireworks sales, including fireworks being sold from trucks or temporary locations. McCoy said the department has seen similar operations in past years, including U-Haul trucks and leased office spaces used to sell fireworks.
Those investigations are often handled by the department’s bomb and arson unit, McCoy said.
The department said residents can help by reporting illegal fireworks activity, but not by intervening themselves.
“Please do not confront individuals who are illegally discharging fireworks,” McCoy said.