Pregnant Woman Shot in St. Louis Road Rage Incident After Prenatal Visit, Suspect Charged
A routine drive home from a prenatal visit turned into a nightmare for a pregnant woman and her family in St. Louis last month, after an apparent road rage exchange escalated into gunfire. Authorities have charged 19-year-old Anthony Lee-Armstrong with multiple felonies, including first-degree assault and armed criminal action, in connection with the May 17 shooting.
According to a probable cause statement obtained by local media, the incident began when the woman's vehicle was nearly struck by two sedans—a Volkswagen and a black Honda—as the family entered a QuickTrip parking lot near Russell Boulevard and South Jefferson Avenue. The male victim in the family's car confronted the drivers about the near-collision before leaving the lot, prompting both sedans to pursue the family's vehicle, weaving through traffic and into oncoming lanes.
Investigators said the family attempted a U-turn to escape, at which point multiple gunshots were fired from the Volkswagen. The pregnant woman, who was 11 weeks along and heading home from a doctor's appointment, told police she felt immediate pain in her upper back after hearing the shots. Responding officers found her with a gunshot wound to the upper back; the male victim sustained shrapnel injuries to his chin and shoulder. The family's vehicle also suffered significant ballistic damage.
Surveillance footage reportedly showed the two suspect vehicles following the family and gunfire coming from the driver's side of the Volkswagen. A license plate reader later linked Lee-Armstrong to the Volkswagen, and the pregnant woman identified him in a lineup as the driver, adding that he made racist statements during the confrontation. A second witness inside the Honda also named Lee-Armstrong as the driver.
The incident highlights the alarming frequency of road rage-related shootings in the United States, where disputes over minor traffic incidents too often turn deadly. According to the Gun Violence Archive, road rage shootings have surged in recent years, with dozens of victims—including pregnant women and children—caught in the crossfire. Advocacy groups have called for stricter penalties and public awareness campaigns to curb the violence.
Lee-Armstrong was taken into custody on May 23 and is being held without bond. He faces two counts of first-degree assault, four counts of armed criminal action, one count of unlawful use of a weapon, and first-degree property damage. The St. Louis Circuit Attorney's Office has not yet commented on the case. Both victims were treated at a local hospital and are expected to recover, though the psychological toll of such an attack is likely to linger.