ST. LOUIS COUNTY, MO. — Charles Thomas, 25, of the 6600 block of Hazen Avenue in St. Louis, Mo., has been charged with Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office announced on Wednesday, August 14, 2024. Thomas is currently held on a $30,000 cash-only bond.
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According to the probable cause statement, the incident occurred on the evening of August 13, 2024. At approximately 8:41 p.m., Metro Security called 911 to report a group of individuals causing a disturbance and consuming alcohol at the Metro Link staircase exit on Hanley Road. Two officers responded initially and detained around 8-10 individuals for open container violations and causing a disturbance.
Additional officers arrived at the scene, and Thomas, identified as one of the subjects, walked away and entered a BP gas station across the road. Two officers followed him into the gas station, where they observed him walking away from a backpack left on the ground. Surveillance footage later reviewed by officers showed Thomas entering the gas station with the backpack, removing a firearm from it, and placing the firearm on a shelf behind some chips.
The firearm, identified as a fully loaded Glock 19 with an extended magazine containing 33 live rounds of ammunition, was recovered by officers. The firearm was reported stolen, and Thomas, a convicted felon, was subsequently detained after attempting to flee on foot and being located at the Heritage Care Center at 4401 N. Hanley.
The St. Louis County Police Department Bureau of Transit Police officers are leading the ongoing investigation. It is important to note that charges are merely an accusation, and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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