Police ID suspect in shooting death of firefighter

05:54 PM CST on Thursday, November 6, 2008


ST. LOUIS (AP) -- For the fifth time this year, the St. Louis area is mourning the death of an emergency responder gunned down while simply doing his job.

On Wednesday, 52-year-old Leonard Riggins, dressed in his St. Louis firefighter's uniform and driving a department car, stopped to help at a crash scene in north St. Louis County. Inside the crashed car was 19-year-old Christopher Brandon of St. Louis, who police say had carjacked the vehicle before wrecking it.



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> Larger player Riggins was shot and left bleeding in the street as Brandon then stole the firefighter's car, police said. County police spotted the suspect minutes later in yet another car -- allegedly the fourth he had stolen that night.

Police said Brandon took off on foot and pointed a handgun at officers, who fired back, killing the suspect.

Though he was off duty, fire department officials ruled Riggins' death as in the line of duty: He was in uniform, in a department car, and was providing assistance.

I GOT FLOWERS TODAY
IT WASN'T MY C-DAY OR ANY OTHER SPECIAL DAY
WE HAD OUR FRIST ARGUMENT LAST NIGHT,AND HE SAID A LOT OF CRUEL THINGS THAT REALLY HURT ME. I KNOW HE IS SORRY AND DIDN'T MEAN THE THING HE SAID BECAUSE I GOT FLOWERS TODAY.

I GOT FLOWERS TODAY
IT WASN'T OUR ANNIVERSARY OR ANY OTHER SPECIAL DAY
LAST NIGHT HE THREW MR INTO A WALL AND STARTED CHOKING ME,IT SEEMED LIKE A NIGHTMARE,I CLOUD'NT BKELIVE IT WAS REAL.I WOKE UP THIS MORNING SORE AND BRUISED ALL OVER I KONW HE MUST C SORRY BKECAUSE HE SENT ME FLOWERS TODAY.


I GOT FLOWERS TODAY
IT WASN'T MOTHERS DAY OR ANY OTHER SPECIAL DAY.
LAST NIGHT HE BEAT ME UP AGAIN AND IT WAS MUCH WORSE THAN ALL THE OTHER TIMES ,IF I LEAVE HIM,WHAT WILL I DO? HOW WILL I TAKE CARE OF MY KIDS? WHAT ABOUT MONEY? I'M AFRAID OF HIM AND SCARED TO LEAVE.BUT I KNOW HE MUST C SORRY BKECAUSE I GOT FLOWERS TODAY.

THE END

I GOT FLOWERS TODAY
IT WAS THE DAY OF MY FUNERAL.
LAST NIGHT HE FINALY KILLED ME, HE BKEAT ME TO DEATH IF I GATHERED ENOUGH COURAGE AND STRENGTH TO LEAVE HIM I WOULD NOT HAVE GOTTEN FLOWERS TODAY

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