St. Louis County Police Department, Missouri
End of Watch: Tuesday, October 31, 2000
Age: 44
Tour of Duty: 20 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: October 31, 2000
Weapon Used: Shotgun
Suspect Info: Committed
Sergeant Eric Weinhold was shot and killed while attempting to evict a man from a residence at 1942 Chambers Road.
He and several officers had responded to the residence after the owner of the home called to complain about a roommate who was living there against his will and had stolen his shotgun.
After receiving no response from inside, the officers forced entry into the basement with the owner's permission and searched it. The officers began to climb the stairs to the first floor, with Sergeant Weinhold in the lead, when the suspect appeared at the top and fired at them. Sergeant Weinhold was struck in the shoulder in an opening where his vest did not cover.
The officers returned fire but did not strike the suspect. Sergeant Weinhold was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries later in the afternoon. The suspect was arrested after a standoff lasting several hours.
The man was found mentally incompetent to stand trial and committed at a state mental institution.
Sergeant Weinhold had been awarded 17 commendations throughout his 20-year career. In 1999 he was named Missouri's Law Enforcement Instructor of the Year. He is survived by his wife and four young children.