Missouri man fatally shot after aiming gun at police officers

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A driver who led police on a chase in suburban St. Louis was shot and killed by officers after pointing a gun at them, police said.

The shooting happened about 10:45 p.m. Tuesday on Interstate 70 in Wentzville, Missouri. Police said officers with a crime reduction task force made up of several St. Charles County departments tried to pull over a pickup truck in O'Fallon, Missouri, because the license plate didn't match the vehicle. The truck refused to stop.

A few minutes later, in Wentzville, spike strips were successful in stopping the truck, which drove through a grass median and came to a stop, police said. The man who was driving and a woman passenger got out and ran, police said.

MISSOURI POLICE OFFICER SHOT AND KILLED PULLING DRIVER OVER FOR EXPIRED TAG

A Missouri man was fatally shot Tuesday after aiming a gun at police officers in the suburbs of St. Louis. Police pursued the man's vehicle because the plates didn't match. The suspect wouldn't stop his car. 

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"As they fled on foot, the driver pointed a firearm at the direction of the officers as he was crossing West Pearce Boulevard," Wentzville Sgt. Jacob Schmidt said during a news conference. Two officers with the St. Charles County Regional Crime Reduction Task Force officers shot the man, who was pronounced dead at a hospital.

The female suspect was not injured and was taken into custody, according to police. They said the driver's gun was recovered at the scene.

The officers involved in the shooting, who work for city police departments in St. Charles and St. Peters, were not hurt.

Authorities have released no details about the man killed or the officers, and no one has responded to messages left Wednesday with Wentzville, St. Charles and St. Peters police departments.