FRANKLIN COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a weekend fatal officer-involved shooting have identified the man who died as 27-year-old Denis L. Redondo-Zelaya.
Just before 8:30p.m. August 17, a Trooper from the Missouri State Highway Patrol observed a vehicle overturned in the ditch along the North Service Road at the sharp curve west of Miller Driver in St. Clair County, according to a media release from the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Additional troopers, St. Clair officers and EMS were dispatched to the scene.
While checking the vehicle, a man was inside the vehicle holding a knife. Officers gave the man, later identified as Redondo-Zelaya, several commands to drop the knife and come out of the vehicle. The man would not comply and continued toward officers. The officers backed away from the man as far as terrain would allow and continued to give verbal commands to drop the knife. A St. Clair officer shot Redondo-Zelaya.
Officers immediately began administering first aid. St. Clair EMS transported him to an area hospital where he was pronounced deceased.