Powell started throwing the items on the street and sidewalk. St. Louis Alderman Dionne Flowers, who owns a nearby beauty shop, witnessed the encounter and told officers the man was acting erratically and had a knife.

Dotson said the store owner and the alderman said the suspect was “armed with a knife, acting erratically, pacing back and forth in the street, talking to himself.”

The store owner from the market and Flowers called 911. Two arriving officers ordered Powell to get down, but he became more agitated and walked toward them, reaching for his waistband. Witnesses told police the man was yelling, “Shoot me, kill me now,” during the encounter, Dotson said.

The officers drew their weapons and ordered Powell to stop. He did stop, but then pulled out a knife and came at the officers, gripping and holding it high, Dotson said. They ordered him to stop and drop the knife. When he got within 2 or 3 feet of the officers, they fired, killing Powell.

“This is a lethal range for a knife,” Dotson said.

The officers were not hurt, police said. They were put on administrative duty pending an investigation.