Anthony Lee-Armstrong (City of St. Louis).
A terrifying road rage incident in Missouri left a pregnant woman injured after a 19-year-old allegedly opened fire on her vehicle. The woman, who was 11 weeks pregnant, was traveling home from a maternity appointment with her 2-year-old child and the child’s father when the attack occurred, according to police reports.
The suspect, identified as Anthony Lee-Armstrong, is accused of shooting multiple rounds at the family’s car on May 17. The father sustained shrapnel injuries to his shoulder and chin, while the vehicle suffered extensive ballistic damage, as detailed in a probable cause affidavit.
According to the affidavit, the family was driving south on S. Jefferson, nearing a QuikTrip at 2600 Chouteau, when a black Honda sedan cut them off. This vehicle appeared to be accompanied by a Volkswagen sedan, both of which entered the QuikTrip parking lot.
After pulling over, the father reportedly approached the drivers to voice his concerns about the near-collision before returning to his car. However, as they continued their journey and stopped at a red light, the same black sedans allegedly reappeared, following them closely.
In a desperate attempt to evade the pursuers, the father tried maneuvering through traffic, at one point making a U-turn. It was then that he heard several gunshots, marking a chilling escalation in the road rage encounter.
“[The dad] drove off but the suspect vehicles followed, at times driving into oncoming traffic to keep up with victims’ vehicle,” the affidavit says. “[The dad] attempted to escape the suspect vehicle pursuing them by conducting a u-turn. He then heard an unknown amount of gunshots.”
The pregnant mom told police she instantly “felt pain in her back” and “noticed damage to her front windshield,” along with injuries that the dad sustained. A bullet was allegedly fired by Lee-Armstrong and struck the woman in “the rear of her upper left back,” according to the affidavit.
Cops say they obtained surveillance footage from a local business that shows the victims’ car being followed by the “two suspect vehicles.” The victims can be seen driving ahead of the Volkswagen when several gunshots are fired from the driver’s seat of the car, according to the affidavit.
The Volkswagen was registered to Lee-Armstrong, who was identified by the mother in a lineup as the driver “and the one that fired the shots.” She told police that Lee-Armstrong also allegedly made “racist statements” toward her and the father.
Lee-Armstrong was arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree assault, four counts of armed criminal action, one count of first-degree property damage and one count of unlawful use of a weapon. He is being held without bond.
