FERGUSON, MO – A funeral for an 18-year-old turned into a bloodbath Wednesday when gunfire erupted both inside and outside a Missouri funeral home, leaving six people injured and sending hundreds of mourners running for their lives.
The shooting occurred just before noon at Cotten-Branch funeral home in Ferguson, about 10 miles northwest of downtown St. Louis. Approximately 300 people had gathered to pay their respects when chaos erupted.
Police arrived in under two minutes to find what Ferguson Police Chief Troy Doyle described as “complete chaos.”
Three victims suffered non-life-threatening gunshot wounds, while three others were injured during the panicked stampede that followed. All six were taken to area hospitals for treatment.
Officers apprehended multiple people of interest at the scene and recovered several firearms. Investigators have not determined how many shooters were involved or what sparked the violence.
“Anytime you have a shooting, it’s a tragedy in our community,” Chief Doyle said at an afternoon press conference. “It’s kind of unfortunate because you have loved ones that come to a funeral to grieve a member of their family, and unfortunately [were] subjected to this type of chaos.”
The identity of the teenager whose funeral was being held has not been released. Police have not indicated whether the shooting was connected to the circumstances of that person’s death.
Ferguson gained national attention in 2014 following the fatal police shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown, which sparked widespread protests and increased scrutiny of local policing practices.
No arrests have been announced in connection with Wednesday’s shooting. The investigation remains ongoing.
