An attorney for a suburban St. Louis police officer who shot and wounded a suspected shoplifter says the officer thought she was firing her Taser.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that attorney Travis Noble says the officer is "devastated" about last week's shooting at a grocery store in Ladue. The shooting happened after the officer encountered a woman accused of trying to bypass the store's self-checkout area with stolen merchandise. As the officer tried to handcuff the woman, she broke free.
Noble says the officer drew what she believed what was a stun gun and screamed "Taser! Taser! Taser!" before firing what turned out to be a firearm. Police say the woman is expected to survive but remains hospitalized.
Prosecutors declined to comment on how the case will be handled.