The man fatally shot by airport police at St. Louis Lambert International Airport has been identified as 31-year-old Darius Kennedy, with a last known address in Peoria, Illinois. The incident occurred in Terminal 1 around 1:05 a.m. on November 21, 2025.
According to police, airport officers were conducting routine security checks when they encountered an adult male armed with a knife. They say Kennedy refused to drop the weapon, prompting one officer to deploy a taser. Despite being tased, the suspect reportedly continued advancing toward officers. A second officer then discharged his firearm, striking Kennedy. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
No officers were injured during the confrontation. Early reports from investigators suggested the man may have been unhoused, and initially, no positive ID had been made.
The two STL Airport Police officers involved in the shooting had been with the department for six months and one year respectively, but both had prior law enforcement experience.
This incident remains under active investigation by the St. Louis County Police Department’s Bureau of Crimes Against Persons.
