ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — A former St. Louis County Police officer and son of the former St. Louis prosecuting attorney has been sentenced to five years of probation for firing gun shots at a school Halloween event in 2023.

Earlier this year, Matthew McCulloch pleaded guilty to eight felony charges.   

St. Louis County’s new prosecuting attorney, Melissa Price Smith, has weighed in on McCulloch’s sentence.

“This guilty plea was negotiated under the previous administration in our office. It was a blind plea, meaning that the sentence imposed was left entirely to the discretion of the court,” she said in a statement.

“We respect the court's decision in this tragic and difficult matter. We are so grateful that no one was physically harmed in this incident and pray that this sentence brings some closure for the many victims - especially the many children - impacted by the defendant's actions.”

Kirkwood police say McCulloch, who was off duty at the time, caused a disturbance at North Middle School, which hosted the Halloween event for Tillman Elementary School.

According to the charging documents, Kirkwood police say McCulloch "aggressively approached numerous attendees at the event and made statements such as ‘You are all going to die." ' 

According to the probable cause statement filed by police, McCulloch was shoved to the ground, got up, then pulled his shirt up to display a handgun and a badge, firing off roughly 12 shots while shouting that the people would die. 

Police say witnesses tackled McCulloch and took his weapon.

No one was injured.