26-year-old charged in shootout with officer that led to bystander’s death

ST. LOUIS – A 26-year-old was arraigned last week in connection with a 2021 shootout with an off-duty police officer that led to a bystander’s death.

According to a probable cause statement from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the shooting happened around 11:10 p.m. on Oct. 28, 2021, outside The Other Place Bar, located at N. 19th Street and St. Louis Avenue in the St. Louis Place neighborhood.

An off-duty Northwoods police officer was working as security for the bar when he saw people arguing as they left the establishment. One of those individuals went to a car and grabbed a pistol.

Police said the off-duty officer, concerned for the safety of the people outside the bar, produced his own firearm to confront the armed individual. The officer ordered the man to stand down.

The armed man started shooting at the off-duty officer, who returned fire and struck the suspect in the chest. During the ordeal, Richard Young, a bystander who was in the crowd behind the officer, was shot several times. Young was rushed to a local hospital and later died from his injuries on February 3.

The off-duty officer was not wounded and no one else was injured. The suspect, identified as Rodregus Fuqua, recovered from his chest wound.

The St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office charged Fuqua with second-degree murder for Young’s death, as well as first-degree assault and two counts of armed criminal action.