Police said two people were wounded before an officer shot the suspected gunman, who remained hospitalized in critical condition.
ST. ANN, Mo. — Hundreds of teenagers scrambled for cover after gunfire erupted during a weekend party at a suburban St. Louis dance studio, where police said an arriving officer encountered a person firing into the crowd before shooting the suspected gunman.
The shooting happened Saturday night at U Can Dance Studio in St. Ann. Police said officers responded at about 10:22 p.m. and encountered a suspect firing multiple rounds from what appeared to be an automatic firearm. Two people in the crowd were struck by gunfire, according to authorities. The suspect was later shot by an officer and taken to a hospital in critical condition. No officers were injured.
Zyir Vasser, 16, told local television station First Alert 4 that he was attending the party when the shooting began. He described people dropping to the floor and said he used a table for cover while trying to find a way out. Vasser escaped without being injured. His account offered a firsthand view of the panic inside a gathering that police estimated had grown to about 400 teenagers.
St. Ann police said officers pursued the suspected gunman after he fled on foot toward the side of a nearby residence, where other people were taking cover. Police said the suspect was still holding the firearm, turned toward officers and did not follow their commands. An officer then fired, striking the suspect. The Maryland Heights Police Department took over the investigation of the officer-involved shooting.
Authorities had not publicly identified a motive for the initial gunfire as the investigation continued. The conditions of the two people police said were shot by the suspect were not publicly available in the reports reviewed. Police also had not released the suspect’s identity in the material available for this report.
The size of the gathering became another focus after the shooting. St. Ann police estimated about 400 teenagers were present, while the dance studio said the private event had been contracted for a maximum of 60 people. An attorney for the studio said the gathering began as a small event before a large number of teenagers began arriving shortly before 10 p.m.
The studio’s attorney said an adult mother had rented the venue for what was described as a homecoming party. According to the attorney, the studio later learned that the event apparently had been promoted online and admission was being charged without the owners’ knowledge. Vasser told First Alert 4 that he learned about the gathering from an online poster advertising admission and stating that security would be present.
Video obtained by First Alert 4 showed people running from the area after rapid gunfire. The studio’s attorney said the building suffered significant damage during the incident, including broken furniture and damaged mirrors. The building was later condemned, though officials had not provided the station with details explaining the condemnation or what repairs would be required.
The studio said its representative contacted the owner after seeing the sudden influx of teenagers. Its attorney said the owner arrived within minutes and tried unsuccessfully to clear the property before the situation escalated. The studio expressed sadness over the shooting and said the crowd had grown beyond what its representative could control.
The investigation remained active, including efforts to determine what led to the shooting. Maryland Heights police were handling the review of the officer’s use of force, while authorities continued investigating the gunfire that wounded two people at the party. No motive had been publicly established in the reports available as of Sunday.
Author note: Last updated September 28, 2026.