MYSTERY

St. Louis Police Officer Fatally Shoots Off-Duty Colleague

The slain 24-year-old female officer had reportedly stopped by to see two on-duty officers when one of them "mishandled" a weapon.

An off-duty St. Louis police officer was shot inside the home of an on-duty officer early Thursday after an officer “mishandled” a gun, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. Katlyn Alix, 24, was reportedly in the living room of another on-duty officer just before 1:00 a.m. when she was shot in the chest. According to Police Chief John Hayden, one of the two on-duty male officers present accidentally shot Alix in the chest. Alix was taken to the hospital, but was soon pronounced dead. Although none of the officers at the shooting were injured, the officer who shot Alix was reportedly hospitalized late Thursday—though it is unclear why.

A source told the newspaper Alix was shot with a non-department revolver, and another source said Alix and the two on-duty male officers were “close” and “worked together” often. The Dispatch also reports it is unclear why the on-duty officers were at home, why they were handling the revolver, and who owned the revolver. Hayden reportedly did not say how many times Alix was shot or whether anyone was in custody. St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner announced Thursday afternoon that Missouri Highway Patrol would assist in the investigation.