Police hunt killer who forced women to strip in Catholic goods store

Police in Missouri are searching for a killer who forced women to strip at gunpoint inside a Catholic supplies store before shooting one of them in the head in a shocking daytime attack on a busy shopping complex.

The gunman entered Catholic Supply, a religious goods shop on a retail park outside the town of Ballwin, near St Louis, at around 3.15pm on Monday afternoon.

The St Louis Post-Dispatch reports that he then ordered women inside the store to remove their clothes at gunpoint and sexually assaulted at least one of them, according to a 911 call made shortly after the incident.

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The attacker, described as a middle-aged white male, then shot one of the women in the head before fleeing the scene. The 911 caller told the emergency dispatcher that the victim was still alive.

A 53-year-old woman was taken to hospital in critical condition, but later died of her injury.

St Louis County Police spokesman Shawn McGuire confirmed that at least one woman had been sexually assaulted, but could not confirm reports of multiple assaults.

“We have a loose, armed gunman out there who already shot at least one person,” he said.

He also emphasised the brazen nature of the attack. “I think everyone needs to be aware this happened at 3.30 in the afternoon on one of the busiest roads in St Louis County,” he said.

The victims were not thought to be known to the gunman, and the motive for the attack was still unclear, McGuire said.

“Obviously, that adds to the intensity of our search,” he said, appealing for anyone to come forward with information that could help locate the killer.

In a statement, St Louis’ archbishop, Robert Carlson, said the Church community’s hearts went out to the victims of the “horrific tragedy”.

“We join with civil authorities asking for the community's assistance in apprehending the culprit of this crime,” he said.