Angry janitor shoots community center co-worker dead: Police
02/26/2020 11:56 am PST
By Kevin S. Held, KTVI
ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. (KTVI) -- The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney's Office charged a 30-year-old man with Monday night's shooting that claimed the life of a co-worker at the Maryland Heights Community Center. The shooting took place just after 8 p.m.
Police said the suspect, later identified as Michael Joseph Honkomp, was a part-time janitor at the facility. Honkomp had been sent home for disciplinary reasons earlier in the day and was angry about it.
The suspect returned to the community center and had a brief conversation with Maria Lucas, 45, at the front desk before shooting her with a 9mm handgun. Lucas died at the scene.
A Maryland Heights police officer in the parking lot ran into the facility and exchanged gunfire with the suspect. Honkomp was wounded and hospitalized.
Honkomp is charged with one count of first-degree murder, one count of first-degree assault on a special victim, one count of resisting arrest, and three counts of armed criminal action.
MORE: Charges filed in Maryland Heights Community Center killing - KTVI