Armed robber tried to steal a man's car at gas station, but the driver pulled out his own gun and killed the assailant, St. Louis police say

The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department is investigating a shooting at a gas station during which a man shot and killed a man who allegedly tried to steal his car.

The incident unfolded at the Zoom Gas Station near the intersection of Tucker Blvd. and O’Fallon Street at about 6 a.m. on Wednesday.

During a media briefing later that day, police said that the dead suspect was a black man in his 20s who had not yet been identified and that the driver was a 48-year-old white man.

When police arrived, they found the man with a gunshot wound to his chest.

KTVI-TV reported that the man had fired several shots at the carjacker and that he stumbled off before falling to the ground and dying.

Police said the deceased carjacker drove a white Toyota Camry to the gas station before he was shot. They told KTVI that part of their investigation would involve reviewing footage from surveillance cameras at the convenience store that likely captured the shooting.

Investigators were able to recover both guns from the would-be assailant and the victim driver.

Captain Pierre Benoist advised motorists on how to avoid carjackings.

“We recommend that everyone take be aware of their surroundings, take their key fobs with them while they are at the gas stations because there has been somewhat of a spike in these types of incidents citywide,” he said.

Customers of the gas station said they were shocked at the level of crime in St. Louis.

“When we gonna get some help out here?” said Jamie Faulkner to KMOV-TV. “You making citizens and people defend themselves, you know, and unfortunately, this is what comes about.”

Here's a local news story about the incident:

Suspect shot and killed in failed robberywww.youtube.com

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