Police say a dispute involving the teenager’s mother escalated before shots were fired at a car carrying the family.
ST. LOUIS, Mo. — A 27-year-old man faces multiple felony charges after authorities accused him of firing at a departing vehicle during a dispute outside a Jimmy John’s restaurant, striking a 14-year-old girl in the leg.
St. Louis Metropolitan Police said officers were called shortly before 6 p.m. Saturday to the area of Vandeventer and Laclede avenues. Officers found the teenager inside a vehicle with a gunshot wound to her leg. She was taken to a hospital and was listed in stable condition. Authorities have not publicly identified the girl.
Police said the confrontation began with a disagreement involving the girl’s mother and several people associated with the Jimmy John’s in the 3800 block of Laclede Avenue, near the Saint Louis University campus. Court records cited by local and national news organizations identified Adam White, 27, as the man accused of firing at the vehicle.
According to a probable cause statement, White and the girl’s mother argued inside or around the restaurant before the confrontation continued into the parking lot. The mother’s boyfriend and her teenage daughter were also present. As the woman, her boyfriend and the girl got into a vehicle and began to leave, prosecutors allege White fired multiple rounds toward the back of the car. One of the shots struck the teenager in the leg.
The family drove to another location, where responding officers found them, according to court records. White had left the area before police arrived but later returned and was taken into custody. Court documents cited by multiple news outlets say White told investigators after being advised of his rights that he had fired at the vehicle and that the firearm was at his residence.
White has been charged with multiple counts of first-degree assault and armed criminal action, along with unlawful use of a weapon and endangering the welfare of a child. Published reports differ on the precise number of armed criminal action counts listed at different points in the case, so the total is not stated here. The charges are allegations, and White has not been convicted of the offenses.
Police also arrested a 38-year-old person following interviews conducted during the investigation. Authorities had not announced charges against that person in the reports reviewed. Investigators said the case remained open as detectives worked to establish the full circumstances surrounding the dispute and shooting.
There is also a discrepancy over the employment status of people involved in the confrontation. Police and the probable cause statement described White as working at the Jimmy John’s and referred to the girl’s mother as a former employee. A Jimmy John’s representative later told People that none of the people involved were employees at the time of the shooting. The company said it was aware of the incident and was cooperating with law enforcement.
Early police information said investigators were still examining the mother’s connection to the restaurant. Later reporting citing authorities and court records said she had previously worked there and had recently been fired. Officials have not publicly released a detailed explanation for the original disagreement.
White remained in custody following his arrest, according to reports citing court records. The teenager was reported in stable condition after the shooting, and no later public update reviewed Friday indicated that her condition had worsened. The criminal case and police investigation remain pending.
Author note: Last updated September 11, 2026.