A routine drive home from a prenatal appointment turned violent in St. Louis when a pregnant woman was shot in what police say was a road rage incident involving two cars chasing a family through city streets.
According to Fox News, authorities arrested 19-year-old Anthony Lee-Armstrong in connection with the May 17 shooting.
He now faces multiple felony charges, including first-degree assault, armed criminal action, unlawful use of a weapon, and property damage, according to jail records.
Police said the chaos began after a family driving near Russell Boulevard and South Jefferson Avenue nearly collided with a Volkswagen sedan and a black Honda sedan while entering a QuickTrip parking lot.
According to a probable cause statement obtained by Fox News Digital, the male driver of the family’s vehicle followed the two cars and confronted them about the near-crash before leaving the area.
Investigators said the confrontation quickly escalated.
The drivers of both sedans allegedly began pursuing the family’s vehicle, weaving through traffic and continuing to follow them as they tried to get away.
When the family attempted a U-turn to evade the cars, gunfire erupted, according to police.
The woman, who was 11 weeks pregnant at the time and had just left a prenatal appointment, told officers she felt pain in her upper back moments after hearing the shots.
Responding officers found her suffering from a gunshot wound. The male driver also suffered injuries from shrapnel to his chin and shoulder.
Police said a young child was inside the vehicle during the shooting.
The family’s car was left riddled with ballistic damage, investigators said, and both injured adults were taken to a hospital for treatment.
Authorities later reviewed surveillance footage that allegedly showed the two suspect vehicles chasing the family’s car through the area. Police said the video appeared to show gunfire coming from the driver’s side of the Volkswagen sedan.
Investigators used a license plate reader to trace the Volkswagen back to Lee-Armstrong, according to the probable cause statement.
Police said the pregnant victim later identified Lee-Armstrong in a lineup as the alleged driver of the Volkswagen. She also alleged he made “racist statements” toward her and the male victim during the encounter.
Authorities added that a second witness who had been inside the Honda sedan also identified Lee-Armstrong as the Volkswagen’s driver.
Lee-Armstrong was arrested on May 23 and remains in custody without bond, court records show.
