A Madison County grand jury has cleared a Pontoon Beach police officer who shot an off-duty St. Louis police officer outside a bar last month. The jury also indicted a former St. Louis police officer in connection with the same incident. The grand jury ruled that the Pontoon Beach officer's action was justified.
Bryan Pour, 25, was indicted on one count of aggravated battery with a firearm for shooting Granite City resident Jeffrey Bladdick, 25, on Nov. 9 outside Mac and Mick’s sports bar. The charge is a Class X felony and carries a penalty of up to 30 years in prison, prosecutors said in a release.
Witnesses told police that Bladdick tried to break up a fight outside the bar involving Pour, who allegedly shot Bladdick with his department-issued pistol. Pour was fired from the St. Louis City Police Department after the shooting.
When Pontoon Beach officers responded to the fight outside the bar at 5240 Nameoki Road and found Bladdick with a gunshot would to the chest. Police saw some people in the parking lot were armed, and ordered them to drop their guns, the release said.
Another an off-duty St. Louis police officer at the bar, Christopher Hantak, 23, was shot by Pontoon Beach Police Officer Aaron Morgan when he pointed his weapon in the direction of Morgan, according to the release. The grand jury found that Morgan’s actions were justified. Two other off-duty St. Louis police officers were at the bar with Pour and Hantak.
Click for Full Text!
Poster Comment:
I'm originally from this area, but moved away decades ago. Do you wonder why? The restaurant is on the same street as my high school. Off-duty St. Louis cops have no business in that area, and for that matter, neither does a Pontoon Beach cop (all Pontoon Beach cops are a joke and can't get on real police forces). As I've said for years, less cops, less crime.