Man shot in face after exchange of gunfire with St Louis police

Reports of gunshots were reported Wednesday afternoon

A community in St Louis is reeling tonight after a teenager was shot in the face and seriously injured. An investigation into the incident is underway.

There were initially conflicting reports about whether the 18-year-old was shot by police or else had shot himself. Police later said they had returned fire at the young man, after he had shot at them, but that they had not struck him. They had also tried to detain him by use of a Taser.

The city of Ferguson said on social media: "@stlcountypd are investigating a shooting involving a resident today. Despite rumours, Ferguson PD did not shoot a suspect.”

On Wedensday evening, a spokesperson for the Normandy Police Department said officers had been called to deal with a subject said to be "suicidal". A spokeswoman, Cpl Tameika Sanders, said the young man refused to enage with officers and then took out a handgun from his waist-band and opened fire. "The subject was not struck by our officers," she said.

Earlier, Normandy Police Chief Frank Mininni told the St Louis Post-Dispatch that the nearby Ferguson Police Department requested assistance to locate a "suicidal subject" in the area of Paddington and Bermuda Drives.

When officers arrived, Mr Mininni said, they found the armed man and exchanged gunfire, although no one was hit.

Both a Normandy officer and a Ferguson officer were involved in the "exchange of gunfire," according the Post-Dispatch, but it remains unclear if one or both opened fire, or what initiated the gun battle to begin with.

However, some Twitter users have disputed the police account and have posted video of the incident.

A Twitter user named Nique2X who claims to have witnessed the shooting is disputing the police account. At 3:52 p.m., she posted a video that includes the sound of a single gunshot and shows officers rushing to the scene. An unknown woman can also be heard screaming: “Don't shoot my baby!”

Deron Smith, who lives in the neighborhood, said he saw part of the chase.

He told the Post-Dispatch he heard six to eight gunshots behind his home and went outside to investigate. He saw a man running from police officers. He said the man didn't appear to be holding a gun at that point because he was using two hands to climb over fences.