Sergeant Richard Eric Weinhold, 44, was killed on October 31, 2000, while on duty with the St. Louis County Police Department. Officers had been called to a home in the 1900 block of Chambers Road about a disturbance and a reported stolen shotgun. With the homeowner’s permission, officers forced entry into the basement and began to ascend the stairs.

As Sergeant Weinhold neared the top, the suspect appeared and fired a shotgun, striking Weinhold in the shoulder where his vest was open. Weinhold returned fire and was removed from the house, but died at DePaul Hospital at 2:39 PM that afternoon. He was a thirteen-year department veteran, a law enforcement trainer, and the 1999 Missouri Law Enforcement Instructor of the Year, and left a wife and four young children.

The shooter barricaded inside the residence, later surrendered to tactical officers and was charged with First Degree Murder; he was later ruled mentally incompetent to stand trial and committed to a state mental institution for indefinite confinement.