On the evening of February 7, 2008, Kirkwood City Hall became the scene of a targeted attack that killed 63-year-old Councilman Michael H. T. Lynch. Lynch was attending a regularly scheduled council meeting when a gunman entered the building after first shooting a sergeant outside and taking the officer’s weapon.

The shooter was identified as Charles Cookie Thornton, a construction contractor from the nearby Meacham Park neighborhood who had long-standing disputes with city officials over code fines and city contracts. Thornton opened fire inside the council chambers, fatally wounding Councilman Lynch, Councilwoman Connie Karr, Public Works Director Kenneth Yost, and Officer Tom Ballman; Mayor Mike Swoboda was critically wounded and later died months after the attack. Thornton was shot and killed by responding officers at the scene and investigators concluded he acted alone.