Police Video Shows Fatal Teen Shooting in St. Louis

St. Louis police body-camera footage released this week shows a St. Louis officer fatally shooting 17-year-old Emeshyon Wilkins in June 2024 as he ran from officers, according to the video and statements from officials. The footage has drawn renewed demands from Wilkins’ family and their legal representatives for accountability and greater transparency. Officials also acknowledged that early public descriptions of the encounter did not align with what the video shows.

The incident began when detectives tried to stop an SUV that had been reported stolen, officials said. After a pursuit, Wilkins got out of the vehicle and fled on foot. In the recording, an officer identified as Detective Brett Carlson is heard yelling for Wilkins to drop a gun before firing four shots, one of which hit Wilkins, the footage shows.

Initial police statements said Wilkins had pointed a gun at officers, but the released video has been described as contradicting that account. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department said the information first shared publicly was inconsistent with the body-camera evidence. The department said it has since revised internal protocols aimed at improving the speed and accuracy of public updates, including a requirement for commanders to review body-worn camera video at the scene.

Wilkins’ family has filed a lawsuit that includes details about what was recovered after the shooting. The suit states that a disassembled, inoperable firearm was later found in Wilkins’ pocket. The family and their attorneys have pointed to the video and the lawsuit’s claims as central to their calls for clearer disclosure about what happened and how decisions were made during the encounter.

In legal proceedings tied to the case, Carlson invoked his Fifth Amendment right during a March 2026 deposition, declining to answer questions about the shooting or about departmental policies, according to the case details described in the source material. Separately, the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office said it is reviewing the matter for possible criminal charges. Carlson remains assigned to desk duty with pay while the review continues.