St. Louis Officers Leave Wounded Man to Die Because Shift Was Ending: 'Let's Cruise Around and Come Back'

Body camera footage shows two former St. Louis police officers leaving a gunshot victim to die, sparking outrage over their inaction during a moment of crisis.

The incident occurred on September 10, 2023, with disciplinary complaint documents filed by the Missouri Attorney General accusing the officers of showing "reckless disregard for the safety of the public."

The victim, Urayoan Rodriguez-Rivera, had called 911 from the Forest Park section of St. Louis, stating he intended to take his own life. When officers Austin Fraser and Ty Warren arrived the scene at 6:26 p.m., they found him beneath a tree, alive but gravely injured, according to a KMOV investigation.

Instead of rendering aid or calling for emergency medical services, the two officers ignored it.

"We aren't taking this," Fraser said, citing his shift ending soon. He then suggested, "Let's cruise around and come back," KMOV reported.

Body camera footage shows the officers walking away, laughing, as Fraser remarked that other officers would find the victim. Neither officer called for help or attempted to secure the firearm reportedly used in the shooting.

When they returned to the scene eight minutes later, a third officer had arrived, discovered Rodriguez-Rivera, and requested EMS. That officer found the victim's pulse "super weak" and began administering first aid.

Although EMS ultimately arrived, 40 minutes passed after Rodriguez-Rivera's initial 911 call, with roughly 27 minutes since Warren first discovered him fighting for life. He was later pronounced dead. The medical examiner determined it was a suicide.

Fraser and Warren were fired following a routine review of body camera footage. Warren's peace officer license has been revoked, while Fraser had a disciplinary hearing on January 7th.

Mitch McCoy, spokesperson for the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, said in a statement to KMOV that the department holds its officers to the "highest of standards" and added, "Appropriate disciplinary action will be taken if an officer is found to have violated policies."

Rodriguez-Rivera's mother, who lives in Puerto Rico, described the officers' actions as "a lack of humanity" in a text message to KMOV. She expressed hope that "the full weight of the law" would fall on the officers responsible.