Tragedy in Kirkwood (St. Louis, Chesterfield, Ladue: city hall, crime, home)

[Northwoods Voyager]

This evening a terrible tragedy occurred at the Kirkwood City Hall when a lone gunman approached the City Hall and killed a police officer. He then entered the City Hall and fatally shot another policeman before killing 3 others in the building. Police than shot and killed the lone gunman. Others have been taken to local hospitals for their injuries. The gunman had had a long standing feud with the Mayor and other city officials of Kirkwood.

This community is a relatively quiet and safe place to live. Incidents of this type are highly unlikely to occur here. Very sad news.

[STLCardsBlues1989]

It's really tragic to hear about. The victims are in my prayers. What a terrible thing.

[CellarBelle]

This is so very sad. Kirkwood is such a great community. Many thoughts and prayers being sent their way.

[STLCardsBlues1989]

Kirkwood's mayor was shot as well:

STLtoday - News - St. Louis City / County (broken link)

[MoNative34]

Originally Posted by STLCardsBlues1989

It's really tragic to hear about. The victims are in my prayers. What a terrible thing.

Kirkwood has been going downhill and folks should think twice before moving there or anywhere east of I-270.

[dawhole9]

St. Louis residents wake up Racism is still very present in this City, State and Country and people better wake up! African Americans are tired of being treated as second class citizens. It is sad that it had to come to this but blacks are tired of being treated as slaves.

Blacks are tired of whites philosophy "if you are not white you ain't right mentality." Kirkwood is a very prejudice place as is Chesterfield, Town & Country, Ladue and all of South County. Most whites in these area mask or try to hide their prejudice but it exists.

I feel sorry for all the families but this is not the end you will see more of these shootings happening until blacks are treated as equals.

[aragx6]

Originally Posted by MoNative34

Kirkwood has been going downhill and folks should think twice before moving there or anywhere east of I-270.

Anywhere east of 270? You are crazy. Kirkwood is one of the safest neighborhoods around. This stuff happens and it has little to do with crime in the immediate area. It just happened here by me in Tinley Park with the women getting killed at the Lane Bryant- and that's a safe area too.

[tallrick]

You can only push someone so far before they snap. Local governments that mistreat their citizens better beware, this can and will happen again.

[Danilo-11]

Anybody knows what actually happened with this guy before that made him do what he did?

[aragx6]

This is from the post:

Late last month, a federal judge in St. Louis dismissed a lawsuit in which Thornton, representing himself, claimed Kirkwood officials violated his free speech rights by prohibiting him from speaking out at meetings.

In a ruling Jan. 28, U.S. District Judge Catherine D. Perry took into account that Thornton had twice been convicted of disorderly conduct for disrupting meetings in 2006 with off-point complaints about persecution by officials.

"He'd come to the meeting and he'd have a big easel and a picture of a donkey on there and call the council asses," McNichols said.

Sportscaster Doug Vaughn of Channel 4 said he went to Kirkwood High School with Thornton and has run into him through the years. He said Thornton's behavior changed after police cracked down on his parking of vehicles for his construction company outside his home in Meacham Park. He felt harassed, Vaughn said.

"He was more than a critic," Vaughn said. "It got to where he was showing up at every council meeting and trying to dominate everything. He kind of lost his mind."