St. Louis cops didn't help man shot in head because their shift was ending, video shows
Two former St. Louis Metropolitan Police officers are accused of leaving a shooting victim to die because their shift was about to end.
Footage obtained by Missouri station KMOV First Alert 4 appears to show then-Officers Austin Fraser and Ty Warren searching a park where they came across mortally wounded Urayoan Rodriguez-Rivera, who had called 911 to say he was going to kill himself. The cops are surprised to discover Rodriguez-Rivera on the ground and still breathing after taking the call.
'Damn, he's right there,' one officer can be heard saying on footage recorded by Warren's body-worn camera.
The officers acknowledge Rodriguez-Rivera isn't dead. But when Warren suggests they bring the victim somewhere for help, his partner shoots down that idea.
'We ain't taking s–t,' Fraser said. 'I get off in 30 minutes.'
Fraser then suggests to Warren they 'cruise around and come back,' before they walk away joking and wait for other officers to respond.
'They're gonna find this (expletive), and we're gonna be like, 'Oh, (expletive), you found him,'' Fraser said to Warren.
The pair return about 10 minutes later pretending to have just arrived on the scene for the first time. A third officer calls for emergency services while Fraser and Warren stick by their plan to play dumb.
Fraser and Warren then exit the scene a second time, leaving other officers to handle the situation.
'You can't just leave,' another officer is heard telling the duo as they do just that.
The 29-year-old victim was then rushed to a St. Louis-area hospital, where he died from a gunshot to his head 40 minutes after calling 911.
The state of Missouri accused the former cops of 'reckless disregard' for their handling of that September 2023 incident, according to First Alert 4's report. The Missouri news outlet obtained the footage last month after filing a records request.
Rodriguez-Rivera's death was reportedly ruled a suicide, but no gun was located at the scene.
A police department representative told the Daily News both officers had been relieved of their duties.
'The two individuals are no longer employed by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department,' Mitch McCoy, the department's public affairs and information director, said in a statement. 'While we are unable to comment on specific personnel matters, SLMPD holds its officers to the highest of standards. Appropriate disciplinary action will be taken if an officer is found to have violated policies.'
Warren's peace officer license was revoked because of the incident, according to First Alert 4. A disciplinary hearing for Fraser was scheduled for Tuesday with the state of Missouri.
State officials told the Daily News that results of that hearing are made official after 30 days. A statewide license to practice law can't be reinstated once revoked.
___
© 2025 New York Daily News
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Yahoo
Brooklyn good Samaritan recounts being stabbed helping women evade stalker
A Brooklyn good Samaritan who helped a pair of women evade a stranger stalking them ended up being stabbed by the suspect, he recounted to the Daily News. The 26-year-old good Samaritan and a friend intervened after being approached by one of the women asking them for help in Kensington on June 21. 'I would do it again,' the wounded good Samaritan said. 'If we weren't there, who knows what he would've done to her? I hope she is good. I hope she is safe.' Cops have released a surveillance photo of the suspect, dressed in a gray hoodie and gray sweatpants, and are asking the public's help identifying him and tracking him down. The bizarre chain of events began when the first victim, a 31-year-old woman on her way home from work, was approached by the stranger near Coney Island Ave. and Cortelyou Road about 1 a.m., according to cops. 'He tried to talk to me from afar because he noticed that I noticed him. And he was, like, 'I go this direction. I live in this direction.' He kept saying that out loud,' said the woman, who asked that her name not be used. 'He was kind of catcalling at first … but that didn't faze me. It happens to women and I'm sure men in the city. I'm not worried.' But then the woman noticed the man started following her closely. She dashed into a local deli to seek help and get away from the stalker. After spending five minutes inside the store, the woman hoped the stalker would leave, only to notice him hiding behind a nearby liquor store. That's when she asked the good Samaritan and his friend, who she knows from the neighborhood, to walk her home. The good Samaritan, a manager at a kosher restaurant, and his 29-year-old friend agree and escorted her back to her place. 'The lady approached me and said her life was in danger,' the good Samaritan said. 'This guy was following her. We saw him a few blocks away still following her, so we walked her home and she was safe.' When the woman reached home, she waited around 10 minutes before going back outside to walk her dog. That's when she noticed the stalker on her block, hiding behind a tree. She went back inside, locked her doors and called police. 'It was insane,' she said. 'I've been in Brooklyn all my life and they always say s–t on the news. But I was, like, 'Not me, I'm a tough girl. I can handle s–t.'' But all that changed when she faced danger herself. 'I felt everything I ever learned to protect myself just flew out the window,' she said. 'I've taken self-defense. I learned how to disarm someone. [But] I, like, froze.' Cops responded but could not find the stalker. Meanwhile, the good Samaritan and his friend were alerted by a phone app later that same night the stalker had reappeared, police said. 'We got another call from a friend that [the stalker] was in a building trying to go after another woman,' the good Samaritan said. The pair, now joined by a third man, who gave his name as Vlad, 28, went to a building near Ditmas Ave. and Ocean Parkway, where they found a second victim — and the menacing figure — in the lobby. 'When we came in, we saw the woman was uncomfortable,' the good Samaritan said. 'She didn't say anything and then he just went after the woman. She was crying and I tried to put him down on the floor. I didn't see the knife.' Vlad told The News he saw the stalker pull a black kitchen knife with an 8-inch blade out of his sleeve. The stranger stabbed the good Samaritan multiple times in the chest and shoulder and slashed his friend once above the eye, cops said. 'He pulled a knife and started stabbing my friends,' Vlad said. 'It happened so quick. It was like a movie scene. There was blood everywhere — on their clothes, on the floor, all over their bodies.' 'He stabbed me in the chest, shoulder and the lower back,' the good Samaritan said. 'In the struggle I tore my ACL. Now I can't work. I don't know what I'm going to do. When he ran off, my friend said, 'You're bleeding,' and then I realized. I didn't feel it at first because of the adrenaline.' Medics took the two men to New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital in stable condition. The woman who was the stalker's first target that night said she's grateful for the help from the good Samaritan and his friend. 'I'm just glad I'm safe and I know the other guys are stable — that's what matters,' she said. 'I want this guy (the attacker) to get help too. He clearly needs help if he is doing this. If he is out on the streets doing this to women and men, then he needs help too.' Anyone with information on the suspect's identity or whereabouts is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential.
Hamilton Spectator
21 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Liberals taking ‘fresh' look at online harms bill, justice minister says
OTTAWA - Justice Minister Sean Fraser says the federal government plans to take a 'fresh' look at its online harms legislation over the summer but it's not clear yet exactly what the bill will look like when it is reintroduced. It would be the Liberals third attempt to pass legislation to address harmful behaviour online. Fraser told The Canadian Press in an interview that the government hasn't decided whether to rewrite or simply reintroduce the Online Harms Act, which was introduced in 2024 but did not pass. He said Canadians can expect measures addressing deepfakes and child exploitation 'to be included in legislative reforms coming up in the near future.' In their election platform, the Liberals promised to make the distribution of non-consensual sexual deepfakes a criminal offence. They also pledged to introduce a bill to protect children from online sexploitation and extortion, and to give law enforcement and prosecutors additional tools to pursue those crimes. Fraser said the growth of artificial intelligence is influencing the discussions. The spread of generative AI has changed both the online space and everyday life since the federal government first introduced the legislation. 'We will have that in mind as we revisit the specifics of online harms legislation,' he added. 'The world changes and governments would be remiss if they didn't recognize that policy needs to shift.' Online harms legislation was first proposed by then-heritage minister Steven Guilbeault in 2021, but after widespread criticism, the government pivoted and shifted the file to the justice minister. Guilbeault is now back in his old ministry, which has been renamed Canadian identity and culture. Prime Minister Mark Carney has also created an artificial intelligence ministry, headed up by rookie MP Evan Solomon. Fraser said he expects 'significant engagement' with Guilbeault and Solomon but it will be determined later which minister will take the lead on it. The first version of the bill alarmed critics who warned that the provision requiring platforms to take down offending content within 24 hours would undermine free expression. When Fraser's predecessor, Arif Virani, introduced the Online Harms Act in 2024, the bill restricted that 24-hour takedown provision to content that sexually victimizes a child or revictimizes a survivor, or intimate content shared without consent, including deepfakes. It also required social media companies to explain how they plan to reduce the risks their platforms pose to users, and imposed on them a duty to protect children. But the government also included Criminal Code and Canadian Human Rights Act amendments targeting hate in the same legislation — which some said risked chilling free speech. In late 2024, Virani said he would split those controversial provisions off into a separate bill, but that didn't happen before this spring's federal election was called and the bill died on the order paper. Fraser said no decision has been made yet on whether to bring back online harms legislation in one bill or two. 'That is precisely the kind of thing that I want to have an opportunity to discuss with stakeholders, to ensure we're moving forward in a way that will create a broad base of public support,' he said. Fraser said the government could 'modify existing versions that we may have on the shelf from the previous Parliament as may be needed, or to accept the form in which we had the legislation.' He added he wants to have a 'fresh consideration of the path forward, where I personally can benefit from the advice of those closest to the file who know best how to keep kids safe online.' While the government hasn't set a date to introduce legislation, it could include some online harms measures in a crime bill Fraser plans to table in the fall. Fraser said online harms provisions that 'touch more specifically on criminal activity' could be 'included in one piece of legislation, with a broader set of reforms on online harms at a different time.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 29, 2025. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
CBS News
2 days ago
- CBS News
Molly Bish to be remembered with vigil 25 years after disappearance in Massachusetts
A vigil marking 25 years since Molly Bish disappeared will be held in Warren, Massachusetts on Saturday. The vigil will be held on the Warren Town Common at 7 p.m. on Saturday and all are welcome to attend. This year's theme is "Because of Molly..." and will touch on her life and legacy. After the vigil, attendees will walk to Comins Pond, where Molly was last seen before she disappeared. "We've been doing this for a long time, we made a promise to Molly that we would never give up and we'd keep searching and trying to find the answers that we haven't had," said Molly's mother, Magi Bish in an interview with WBZ-TV on Friday. "There's been days of sadness and struggle and today I'm joyful that people are still remembering Molly after 25 years. We are sad we still don't have the answers of who, why this happened to her." Disappeared 25 years ago On June 27, 2000, 16-year-old Molly was dropped off at Comins Pond for her lifeguarding job. Magi Bish dropped her off and was the last person to see her before she went missing. Her shoes and her lifeguard kit were found left behind on the beach. "Who would imagine going to work, brand new job, so excited, it was her first job that was going to pay real money and she was totally ecstatic about it," said Magi Bish. "And that's why, as things unraveled, quickly, we knew Molly would never leave her post. And unfortunately, we knew that was really a scary beginning of what became a long search and we didn't find Molly for three years." Three years later, Molly's remains were found in the woods in Palmer. Even though a deceased person of interest was named in 2021, the case still remains unsolved. "Hope is a special place" "There's newer ideas, new DNA, new people on the case reviewing, having new tactics, you know, directions," said Magi Bish. "So we haven't given up. Hope is a special place, you've got to have hope." Magi Bish said she's sad over but mostly feels gratitude for the kindness shown to her and her family and all the support and help they've received.
