ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo.—A second Northwoods Police officer is charged in connection with the brutality case of a shoplifting suspect. Michael Hill, 51, was arrested Tuesday night and has been charged with kidnapping. 

What You Need To Know

  • Michael Hill is the second Northwoods Police Department officer charged in connection with a brutality case

  • Hill is charged with kidnapping and accused of making an incriminating statement to a store employee about what would happen to the shoplifting suspect

  • Officer Samuel Davis has been charged with assault and kidnapping for allegedly driving the shoplifting suspect to Kinloch after the arrest, then using a baton to beat him

  • Related Story: Victim in Northwoods officer brutality case requested ride out of town; it’s not first time says chief

Earlier this week, now-former officer Samuel Davis, 26, was charged with assault and kidnapping stemming from the arrest of a persistent shoplifting suspect at a Northwoods Walgreens on July 4. He's accused of driving the man to a remote location in Kinloch, beating him with his baton, using pepper spray and breaking his jaw. 

Court documents state after the handcuffed victim was put in the back of Davis' patrol car, Hill, who was Davis' supervising officer, returned to the store and made an incriminating statement to a store employee regarding what would happen to the victim. 

Hill nor Davis never activated their body cameras, according to court documents. They also didn't inform dispatch that they had a suspect in custody or write a report about the incident.

"Police officers who commit violence undermine the trust of the community. My office is working to restore that trust by ensuring a fair, transparent investigation and prosecution in cases of police brutality. Officers in St. Louis County have a host of tools to rely on in addressing individuals who commit non-violent offenses, including referring individuals to our Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion program or making a proper arrest when public safety demands it. There is no excuse for this criminal conduct, and my office will prosecute these officers to the fullest extent of the law," said St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell. 

Northwoods police chief Dennis Shireff told Spectrum News the victim was taken to Kinloch at the victim's request after the store decided it didn't want to prosecute him, and it had recovered the stolen merchandise.

Shireff said there were several other occasions where the man, who he said suffers from mental illness and was intoxicated at the time of the July 4 incident, would be taken to other locations, including a relative's home. 

Hill is being held on a $100,000 cash only bond.