ST. CLAIR COUNTY, Ill. — The St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department is trying to identify a suspect who struck another person with a handgun during an altercation on the MetroLink Thursday night that caused it to discharge. No one was shot.

What You Need To Know

  • Witnesses told authorities that the victim was acting “unruly” on the train which then led to an altercation with the suspect

  • The victim told Illinois State Police that a man struck him with a pistol on the train. He sustained a minor injury and was transported to a St. Louis area hospital

  • Guns are not allowed on the transit system. Metro officials told Spectrum News earlier this week the only firearms they want to see are in the hands of their trained law enforcement partners

  • In MetroLink’s the fourth quarter of 2022, there were nine incidents per 100,000 boardings, according to Kevin Scott, MetroLink general manager of security. He said 60% of those incidents were for behavioral issues and “no one was victimized”

The incident happened after the Cardinals game and deputies were dispatched to the 5th & Missouri MetroLink Station along with Illinois State Police and surrounding agencies around 9 p.m.

Witnesses told authorities that the victim was acting “unruly” on the train which then led to an altercation with the suspect, according to Master Sgt. Adam Quirim. 

The victim told Illinois State Police that a man struck him with a pistol on the train. He sustained a minor injury and was transported to a St. Louis area hospital, according to Quirim. 

Quirim said the suspect exited the train with everyone else. It is unknown at this time if the two people involved know each other. 

The sheriff’s department released images from security footage in a Facebook post, asking for the public’s help in identifying the suspect.

The incident is under investigation by the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department. The department provides law enforcement services for the MetroLink.

Guns are not allowed on the transit system. Metro officials told Spectrum News earlier this week the only firearms they want to see are in the hands of their trained law enforcement partners. The response came after a measure to allow those with a concealed carry permit to bring firearms on public transportation passed the Missouri House. Any change in Missouri law would need an agreement with Illinois and federal law.

In MetroLink’s the fourth quarter of 2022, there were nine incidents per 100,000 boardings, according to Kevin Scott, MetroLink general manager of security. He said 60% of those incidents were for behavioral issues and “no one was victimized.”

“We have a very significantly low incident rate,” Scott said. “We think we do a very good job providing as much security presence as we can on those trains and on those platforms.

“Obviously, it is impossible for us to ride every single train every single minute of the day, it’s virtually impossible, but we complement our security level personnel, our law enforcement, to try to provide as much visibility as we can.”

Scott mentioned technology measures that help with security, including enhancements to the closed circuit TV camera system for the platforms and cameras on trains and buses, and a real-time 24/7 camera center. He added that construction will be moving forward on high secure gating and fencing at each of the platforms controlled by security officers.

“As a security leader and a former law enforcement leader, I cannot ever sit here and guarantee that we will not have difficult situations to deal with,” Scott said.

He mentioned that heat of the moment-type incidents are almost unpredictable, but “we just try to provide as much of a security bubble around the asset as we can.”

“Obviously MetroLink is a significant plus to our region. It moves a lot of people that depend on it on a daily basis,” Scott said. “And day, after day, after day, we operate with no occurrences, but every once in a while, we’ll face a challenge.”