Police officers in St. Louis injured in suspected fentanyl-related incident

ST. LOUIS – Four officers were hospitalized after being exposed to a suspected narcotic found on a suspect.

Officers from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department were attempting to conduct a traffic stop in the Walnut Park West neighborhood on Wednesday afternoon when the infection occurred.

According to SLMPD, they were pursuing a BMW with an illegally tinted windshield, no license plate on the front, and traveling at a high rate of speed.

When police attempted to stop the BMW, the three suspects got out of the vehicle and ran from police. After officers followed them on foot, they arrested all three suspects. According to SLMPD, they were already convicted felons at the time of their arrest.

While searching the suspects, officers seized four firearms from the BMW and found suspected fentanyl on one of the suspects. When they took the bag containing the fentanyl from the suspect, it ripped, exposing four officers at the crime scene.

One of the officers lost consciousness and was administered Narcan. The four officers were taken to the hospital and are expected to recover.

According to SLMPD, the three suspects face several charges, including resisting arrest, unlawful possession of a weapon, theft of a firearm, unlawful use of an illegal weapon, aggravated assault on law enforcement officers, armed criminal action and unlawful possession of controlled substances.