ST. LOUIS – The names of the suspect and victim killed in a domestic violence situation have been released. According to police, the situation escalated into a standoff overnight in the Tower Grove South neighborhood.
One neighbor described the scene late Monday as a war zone, with bullet holes hitting multiple cars and even a nearby home. Police confirm 55-year-old Elizabeth Colletta and 50-year-old Walter Young are dead following Monday night’s events.
Officers responded to the couple’s home in the 4200 block of Hartford Street around 9 p.m. after reports of shots fired. Police discovered Colletta’s body on the front porch of the home, when Young opened fire on them.
Officers returned fire, even firing gas into the home at one point. Hours later, they discovered Young dead inside of the home.
Neighbor Colleen Young said she was trying to return to her home for the evening right as the gunfire rang out.
“It’s incredibly shocking. It’s also saddening. It’s just like, ‘Is everyone OK?’ I’ve been here for seven years, so I have a lot of friends on the block. We were texting at that point like, ‘Is everyone OK? What’s going on? Does anybody need anything?’” Young said.
Multiple neighbors told FOX 2 they felt police did the best they could given the situation they encountered. Longtime Tower Grove South resident Katherine Mackinnon expressed gratitude toward police for their response.
“The response was incredible. SWAT was amazing. And no one else got hurt. So, I think that was the miracle,” Mackinnon said.
Police confirm no one else was injured during the standoff. The home involved is now boarded-up. Neighbors say they are still shaken up following the tragedy.
“It’s tragic. Any time something like that happens close by, but anywhere… I don’t know them, but it hits close when it’s on your block,” Mackinnon said.
It is still unknown whether Young died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound or if an officer shot him during a gunfire exchange. The Force Investigation Unit has been called in due to officers discharging their weapons.
The YWCA of Metro St. Louis, an organization that provides crucial services for women and their families, including crisis intervention and housing for domestic and sexual violence victims, provided FOX 2 with a statement following Monday’s tragedy:
“In a domestic violence situation, there are many barriers to seeking safety. YWCA can help reduce and remove barriers with a variety of resources (at no charge) that will help women (and their children) stabilize, heal and build a new life.
“This senseless death is tragic and we are heartbroken and angry that another woman has been murdered.
“Please know that domestic/sexual violence is not a “woman” problem; this is a community problem, and as a community, we need to educate ourselves, understand that violence impacts everyone, and stand together to say that people who commit violence must be held accountable, and our systems must be repaired so violence is no longer tolerated.”
For immediate assistance, a 24/7 Crisis Help Line can be reached at (314) 531-7273. To visit their website, click here.
