Taylor was on probation for a weapon violation in St. Louis and for a stolen vehicle in Oklahoma.
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Ballwin is about 20 miles from Ferguson, where the police shooting of unarmed teenager Michael Brown in 2014 set off waves of protests, largely organized by activist group Black Lives Matter. The unidentified officer was walking toward his vehicle when Taylor stepped out of his auto and fired three shots to his back, with one of them striking the officer. Police say a handgun was recovered.
St. Louis County Prosecutor Bob McCulloch said Friday at a news conference that Antonio Taylor has been charged with the three felonies in the incident, which happened during a traffic stop.
Taylor, who was arrested about 30 minutes after the shooting, remains in custody on $500,000 bond.
Kevin Scott, Chief of the Ballwin Police Department, said the officer was walking back to his auto after speaking with Taylor when he was shot.
A police officer in Georgia also was shot Friday morning while responding to a call.
The injured officer is a nine-year veteran of the force, two of those with the Ballwin Police Department.
The other attacks on police included a Georgia man who authorities said called 911 to report a break-in, then ambushed the officer who came to investigate. He was paroled in March 2015.
Belmar said that the man likely will be charged in the shooting, which occurred shortly after 11 a.m. Friday in the west St. Louis suburb of Ballwin.
Police said three shots were fired and the officer was at least hit once.
The injured officer was transported to a local hospital, according to authorities.
St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar called Friday “a sad day for law enforcement”. For an affluent community known for its safe streets and low crime, an officer shot during a routine traffic stop “is just shocking”.
“Scott may have targeted individuals and officers after being troubled by recent incidents involving African-Americans and law enforcement officers in other parts of the country”, the bureau said. The officer is in critical condition, but stable. His identity was not released.
One shot hit Officer Randall Hancock in his abdomen, and others hit his vest.
This story has been corrected to show that Belmar said his department has gone to 12-hour days now through the weekend, not Dotson.
The victim, who police have only identified as a male Ballwin Police Department officer, reportedly stopped the vehicle on account of speeding at about 11 a.m. Police said he was shot when he turned around to walk back to his auto.
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“Make no mistake: We believe during this investigation that Ballwin officer was ambushed, period”, Belmar said.
