ARNOLD, Mo. _ Two police officers were shot in the face with buckshot, but suffered non-life-threatening injuries near Fox Elementary School on Friday afternoon, putting the elementary school on lock down.
Arnold police Detective Lt. James Jones said a 52-year-old man was taken into custody following the shooting that occurred at about 2:38 p.m. local time as officers were responding to a call for a "disturbance" at Jeffco Esates.
The suspect was taken to the hospital, too, but officers did not return fire, Jones said. The nature of his condition is unknown.
"The officers reported shots fired and that they had been shot in the face," Jones told reporters at a news conference about a half mile south of the Fox School District complex.
Jones said police found a long gun at the scene.
Jones said the officers radioed in that they had been shot, they were conscious and breathing at the scene. They arrived in separate cars, Jones said.
The officers were taken to St. Anthony's Hospital for their injuries. A police source said the officers were shot in the face with buckshot.
Jones said police plan to seek a warrant against the suspect either Friday or Saturday, and that he lived in the trailer park.
Emir Muhic, 21, who lives nearby, said he heard two shots and started running in that direction. He jumped a back fence into the trailer park area and encountered a man with a 12-gauge shotgun painted in camouflage.
"He told me to go inside; he kept telling me that," Muhic said.
He said another man, a neighbor with a conceal and carry permit, then went into the scene with pistol drawn. He said the neighbor and the gunman threatened each other but neither fired shots.
"(The suspect) then walked back to his house and sat down and waited for the police," Muhic said.
