ST. LOUIS (AP) – St. Louis’ police chief says a man was shot and critically wounded by an officer he confronted with a knife after being ticketed during a traffic stop.

Police Chief Sam Dotson says the 22-year-old man was ticketed about 11:30 a.m. Thursday for allegedly running a red light and having improper license plates.

Dotson says the motorist drove away but later found the officer sitting in his police cruiser, doing paperwork, and confronted him.
Dotson says that while the officer was trying to arrest the man, the man retreated to his car and struggled with the officer, at one point grabbing a folding knife he tried to open before being shot in the chest.

The officer is a 27-year veteran now on routine administrative leave while the department investigates.