1 dead, 1 injured after officer-involved shooting at popular bar downtown

ST. LOUIS - Police are investigating a shooting early Wednesday morning after a man was fatally shot and another man was injured during an officer-involved shooting at a popular bar downtown.

According to St. Louis Metropolitan Police, the shooting came after a large fight involving 25 to 50 people erupted outside of the Wheelhouse Downtown located at 1000 Spruce St. around 3 a.m. on New Years Day.

The officer from Leadington, Missouri, was working as a security guard for the bar when the fight broke out. While breaking up the fight, the security guards noticed a 25-year-old man armed with a firearm.

The man refused to drop his weapon when asked, and in response, the officer shot the man in the chest, according to police.

The 25-year-old was taken to the hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.

While at the hospital, another man, 26, said he was shot during the same incident and was injured with a graze wound. His injuries are non-life-threatening, according to SLMPD. The officer involved was not injured.

"When we look at what unfolded this morning, it shows our strength with our secondary partners. We have to work together as a law enforcement agency," said Mitch McCoy, spokesperson for SLMPD. "When lives are in danger and people are in a large gathering and somebody's walking around with a firearm, we expect, whether you're a St. Louis city police officer or another nearby jurisdiction, to step in and enforce the law and protect the public."

The Force Investigation Unit with SLMPD, which handles officer-involved shooting within city limits, is leading the investigation.

This is a developing story. Check back as the newsroom receives more information.