KIRKWOOD, Missouri – A festive trunk-or-treat event at Tillman Elementary School took a terrifying turn on Sunday when shots were fired, causing panic among students, parents, and faculty. The incident occurred on Sunday at Tillman Elementary School, where students, parents, and faculty had gathered for a trunk-or-treat celebration in the parking lot of North Kirkwood Middle School.
According to Kirkwood School District spokesperson, an individual arrived at the scene and began firing shots. Quick-thinking attendees managed to subdue the shooter before any physical harm could be inflicted on the students present. The spokesperson confirmed that no students were physically injured during the incident.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch identified the shooter as Matthew McCulloch, who was subsequently arrested for causing a disturbance at the children’s event. McCulloch is a St. Louis County police officer and the son of a former St. Louis County prosecutor.
McCulloch faces serious charges, including four counts of child endangerment, five counts of armed criminal action, one count of making a terrorist threat, and one count of unlawful use of a weapon. All these charges are felonies.
Robert McCulloch, Matthew’s father and a former St. Louis County prosecuting attorney, released a statement acknowledging the incident involving his son. He expressed gratitude that no physical injuries occurred but recognized the significant emotional trauma such an event can cause, especially for children and their parents.
St. Louis County Police Chief Kenneth Gregory confirmed that Matthew was not on duty during the incident and is currently on unpaid administrative leave pending an internal investigation. Charging documents reveal that Matthew aggressively approached attendees at the event, making threatening statements and firing his weapon into the air.