Three Dead After Late-Night Shootout Downtown

Police are investigating the deaths of three males -- in their late 20s or early 30s -- killed early this morning following a concert and party at Club Society at 325 S. 21st Street.

An online ad for last night's show -- a birthday bash for rapper Yo Gotti -- described it as a "party unlike St. Louis has ever seen."

According published reports, the three men left the club around 2:30 a.m. this morning. Minutes later their SUV came to a stop at at the light at Market and 18th streets in between Union Station and the Old Post Office. While waiting for the light to change, another car pulled up alongside the SUV and at least two unknown assailants fired shots from that vehicle into the SUV.
 

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The SUV then rolled through the intersection, coming to a stop at a nearby bus stop. Police report that all three passengers died at the scene.
 

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Police have yet to release a description of the other vehicle. In a statement today, police spokeswoman Erica Van Ross says the killings brought the number of homicides in the city to 38 for the year. That's ten fewer homicides than at this same time last year.

The Post-Dispatch reports that the owner of Club Society used to own the Plush nightclub at 20th and Market streets in the Union Station. That business closed in 2006 after a man was shot and killed on the parking lot behind the club and Plush was forced to surrender its liquor license.