Charles Lee Thornton

Charles Lee “Cookie” Thornton was a lifelong resident of Meacham Park, a historically African American community bordering the city of Kirkwood in St. Louis County, Missouri. For much of his life, Thornton was known locally as a construction and paving contractor. During the early 1990s, he was active in civic life and community organizations and sought public office when he ran for Kirkwood City Council in 1994. He lost the election but continued to attend council meetings regularly.

In 1992, Meacham Park was annexed into Kirkwood. With annexation came municipal codes that had not previously applied to the neighborhood. Thornton’s business operations soon came under scrutiny for zoning and licensing violations. By the mid-1990s, he had begun receiving citations for operating an unlicensed business, illegal dumping, parking heavy equipment in residential areas, and property violations. In June 1998, he pleaded guilty to several violations and agreed to a compliance plan that was never completed.

Thornton believed he had been promised construction contracts during a major commercial redevelopment project in Meacham Park. When those contracts did not materialize as he expected, he became increasingly angry and resentful toward city officials. He filed discrimination complaints, accused city leaders of corruption, and declared bankruptcy in December 1999. Court records later showed that he failed to follow bankruptcy payment plans and continued operating his business in violation of zoning laws.

By the early 2000s, Thornton had accumulated more than 100 municipal citations and was ordered to pay nearly $20,000 in fines and court costs. He never paid them. Instead, he became a frequent and disruptive presence at city council meetings, where he accused officials of fraud, racism, and civil rights violations. He represented himself in multiple lawsuits, most of which were dismissed by state and federal judges. In court rulings, judges described his legal filings as incoherent and without merit.

Despite repeated legal failures, Thornton remained convinced that he had been wronged and that the courts would eventually rule in his favor. His last federal lawsuit was dismissed on January 28, 2008, just ten days before the shooting. Friends and family later said that the dismissal deeply angered him and reinforced his belief that the system was conspiring against him.

On the evening of February 7, 2008, Charles Thornton carried out a mass shooting during a public city council meeting at Kirkwood City Hall. Shortly before 7:00 p.m., Thornton parked his van on a side street near the building. He encountered Kirkwood Police Sergeant William Biggs, who was on duty but walking nearby. Thornton shot Biggs with a .44 Magnum revolver, killing him instantly. Before dying, Biggs activated his radio distress signal. Thornton took Biggs’ service handgun and entered city hall armed with both weapons.

Inside the council chambers, the meeting had just begun, and approximately 30 people were present. Thornton entered quietly from the back of the room and opened fire without warning. He fatally shot Police Officer Tom Ballman in the head. He then shot Public Works Director Kenneth Yost and council members Connie Karr and Michael H.T. Lynch. Thornton also shot Mayor Mike Swoboda twice in the head, leaving him critically injured. During the attack, Thornton was heard shouting “Shoot the mayor!” He fired roughly fifteen rounds. Journalist Todd Smith was shot in the hand while covering the meeting.

Thornton attempted to pursue City Attorney John Hessel, who managed to escape by throwing chairs to slow him down. The sound of gunfire was clearly heard at the nearby police department. Two officers rushed into the council chambers and confronted Thornton. A gunfight followed, during which Thornton was struck in the neck and abdomen. He died at the scene.

Investigators later found a handwritten note on Thornton’s bed that read, “The truth will come out in the end.” Authorities considered it a suicide note, indicating that Thornton expected or intended to die during the attack.

Mayor Mike Swoboda survived the initial shooting but suffered severe injuries that required multiple surgeries. He briefly returned to city hall in April 2008 but never fully recovered. He died in hospice care on September 6, 2008, after months of complications and an ongoing battle with cancer. Todd Smith recovered from his injuries and was released from the hospital the day after the shooting.