Eureka Firefighter in Midst of Gun Brandishing in Fight Near Hwy 141 and Big Bend

St. Louis County police tell Patch they are investigating after a man broke out a gun to apparently break up a fight in the middle of traffic at the intersection of Highway 141 and Big Bend Road Friday afternoon.

Investigators are still trying to determine what led up to the brawl and a gun being brandished, but Manchester Police Chief Tim Walsh tells Patch a fight broke out and a Eureka firefighter pulled out a gun in an apparent attempt to break it up.

Officer Randy Vaughn tells Patch police got the call around 3 p.m. Friday of a road rage incident at the intersection. 

What's still unclear is what led up to the incident.

Vaughn tells Patch, initially it appeared to be a continuation of a robbery that happened in Manchester. He said initial reports indicated the incident stemmed from an apparent robbery in the 1100 block of Westleigh Terrace in Manchester Friday afternoon. 

"I think the victims tried to sell something over the Internet...and these guys came and literally robbed them for it and took off," Vaughn tells Patch.

Vaughn said the victims then chased the suspects who got stuck in traffic on the Highway 141 entrance ramp of Big Bend Road. The victims then charged the suspect vehicle and began a physical altercation at the intersection.

That's when the Eureka firefighter apparently reacted and tried to break up the fight by flourishing a gun.

"As a third party, he jumps out and tries to break up the fight. A female passerby sees this man with a weapon yelling, she calls it in (to police)," Vaughn said. "No one got hurt. No shots were fired."

By the time police arrived on the scene, the vehicle believed to be the suspect vehicle at the time already had driven off.

As of 6:30 p.m. Friday, more details are being revealed from the investigation. 

Manchester Police Chief Tim Walsh tells Patch, this does not appear to have stemmed from a robbery, but the altercation is believed to be over video games.

"There was not a robbery," Walsh tells Patch. "We have investigated and I've been told to this point that there is no robbery."

Walsh said as of Friday evening the fight is believed to have started over a game and got extended into the middle of traffic.

Manchester police are still investigating the incident, while St. Louis County police are investigating the flourishing of the weapon. 

Vaughn said the man with the gun did have a permit to carry it, but they are looking into the circumstances in which it was used.

"It depends on the circumstances. He has a right to have the weapon, but he doesn't have the right to just get it out and start pointing it at people," Vaughn said. 

*Editor's Note: Article was updated to reflect the name of Manchester's police chief as Tim Walsh.