The man who shot and wounded 2 police officers in St. Louis, sentenced to 20 years in prison

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) – The man who shot and killed two St. Patrick’s Metropolitan Police officers in February 2023. Louis and injured both, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Cortez D. Sipes, 38, he pleaded guilty in September to two counts of first-degree assault, unlawful possession of a firearm and resisting arrest. According to a press release from the 22nd Judicial District, the verdict was handed down in the courtroom in the presence of the injured officers and several other members of the department.

Police officers Sean Miskovic and Lucas Roethlisberger spoke during the hearing about the impact of the shooting.

Miskovic gave Sipes a Bible with a message inside. According to the press release, he told him he didn’t hate him and hoped he would find peace and God while serving his sentence.

“I am praying for you, your family and your soul,” Miscovic told him during the hearing.

According to a news release, this was the second time Officer Roethliberger was shot in the line of duty. An officer was also shot in 2010. During Friday’s hearing, Sipes asked why he opened fire. He talked about the bullet that entered his side and wondered if he would survive.

“I thought I was going to die,” Roethlisberger told the court.

There was a shooting on February 2, 2023, when Sipes, a suspect in an earlier robbery, fled from a traffic stop in Soulard Market and crashed his pickup truck. He then opened fire on the officers, hitting both of them in the upper body. According to the news release, officers returned fire and struck Sipes in the ankle.

Sipes, who was previously convicted of assaulting a law enforcement officer and unlawful possession of a firearm, apologized during his hearing for his actions, according to a press release.

District Attorney Gabe Gore and Police Chief Robert Tracy also joined officers in the courtroom Friday. Tracy later released a statement on social media citing the sacrifices of the agency’s officers who risk their lives to protect the city.

“By the grace of God, both officers survived after being shot in the line of duty,” Tracy said. “Today’s verdict reinforces our community’s commitment to holding accountable those who have no respect for human life.”