ST. LOUIS, MO (KTVI) – A man says he captured a beating on South Grand on video. The suspects were not happy about being recorded so they went after the videographer.
A white Chevy Blazer was parked near the intersection of Pestalozzi street and South Grand Avenue at around 7:20pm on Thursday night. The person who shot the video says he saw a woman trapped inside the car. Men were punching her yelling, “I will kill you.” A friend called police and he whipped out a cell phone and started recording. One of the men near the Chevy Blazer saw him and told him to put his camera down. He called a friend over to stop the recording. He didn’tstop.
A selection of the YouTube description reads, “They aggressively pushed me back from being able to film the vehicle and attempted to take the camera. The third rejoined them, and the three of them began to surround my partner and me. Approximately three minutes and and 20 seconds into the incident, the men began to assault me with punches and grabs for the camera, scraping my neck in the process but otherwise failing to land their attacks. Ten seconds later, my partner pepper sprayed the assailant in the striped shirt, and all three retreated immediately.”
The men got back in the car and drove into Tower Grove Park.
The woman in the car may still be in danger. Police are still looking for three suspects. If you have any information in this incident call St. Louis police at (314) 444-2500.
Update: Police have filed a report on this incident.
Incident: Assault 3rd DegreeLocation: 3500 block of PestalozziDate/Time: 09/18/14 @ 1910Victim #1: 27-year old white maleVictim #2: 18-year old unknown black femaleSuspect 3 unknown black malesOfficers responded to a call for a “Ddisturbance at Pestalozzi and S. Grand. Victim #1 stated he was walking down the street with a female acquaintance when he observed a white Chevrolet Trailblazer parked on the south side of the street. Victim#1 heard one of the suspects yelling obscenities and then observed one of the suspects punching and kicking Victim #2, who was in the rear seat of the vehicle. Victim #1 immediately pulled out his cell phone and began recording the incident. When the suspects realized they were being recorded, they approached Victim #1 and insisted he stop recording . Victim #1 refused to stop recording and all three suspects attempted to to punch Victim #1, but never made contact. Victim #1 stated he was scratched on the neck by one of the suspects. The suspects re-entered the vehicle and drove off. There were several witnesses who corroborated Victim #1’s account of the incident. Victim #2 has not yet been located. Victim #1 and witnesses provided the vehicle’s license plate number, and a wanted has been placed on the vehicle. The investigation is ongoing.
(Written perspective by my partner:)
At 7:13 pm on Thursday, September 18, 2014, my partner and I were walking south on South Grand Blvd. in St. Louis, and we observed a white Chevy Blazer (license plate: EG8T3M) at the Pestalozzi St. intersection with both its back doors open and two black males blocking the open doors. A woman was trapped inside the car, and at least one of the males was punching her. One was wearing a white and blue baseball cap, black glasses, white earrings, a silver watch, a T-shirt with white and blue-green stripes, black shorts, and white tennis shoes with short black socks. The other man was wearing black glasses, white earrings, a black watch, a black hooded sweatshirt with large red letters on the front, blue jeans, and white sneakers. One of the males yelled into the car, “Bitch, I will kill you.” After we crossed the street, we doubled back, and I began filming the vehicle while my partner called the police. After about 30 seconds of filming, the men saw us and became confrontational, pointing to the camera and insisting that I “put it up.” One man approached me until I had to hold him back with one arm. After another 30 seconds, after being held in the car by a passenger wearing red shoes, another young black man left the back seat of the SUV, punched the person inside who had restrained him, and ran toward me yelling “Get that motherfucker” and “Put that camera down!” This third assailant was wearing a green jacket, a black shirt with large white lettering, light brown pants, and black shoes.
I didn’t put the camera down.
Two of the men continued to try to intimidate me for another minute while I told them to back up and my partner finished her call with the police. One of the men returned to the car. About two minutes and 30 seconds into the incident, they began retreating back to the car while the man still at the car yelled into it, “Get the fuck out! Get out!” Just ten seconds later, the two men who had been retreating saw that I was still filming and yelled, “Lose the camera, man!” and began to rush me. They aggressively pushed me back from being able to film the vehicle and attempted to take the camera. The third rejoined them, and the three of them began to surround my partner and me. Approximately three minutes and and 20 seconds into the incident, the men began to assault me with punches and grabs for the camera, scraping my neck in the process but otherwise failing to land their attacks. Ten seconds later, my partner pepper sprayed the assailant in the striped shirt, and all three retreated immediately.
Once they were back in the car, they drove across South Grand Blvd. and into Tower Grove Park. The victim was presumably still in the back seat. There were at least six witnesses of the incident, and no one reported seeing the backseat passenger escape. There are at least two video records of the incident.
If you recognize anyone or any clues in the accompanying video, please call the St. Louis Police Department’s 3rd District at (314) 444-2500 with your information. The person who was in the back of the car may still be in danger.
PLEASE SHARE THIS VIDEO. PLEASE CALL THE ST. LOUIS METROPOLITAN POLICE DEPARTMENT AT (314) 444-2500 IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THESE ASSAILANTS.