6 dead, 2 injured in less than 24 hours in St. Louis

ST. LOUIS, Mo. - Authorities are investigating after four people were killed and two more were injured in less than a 24 hour period in St. Louis, reports CBS affiliate KMOV.

The first shooting took place around 3:00 p.m. Thursday when St. Louis Police say bullets from assault style weapons pierced through several cars as they waited at a traffic light in the northern part of the city. Witnesses tell the station two men hopped out of a black, or silver, Dodge Charger and started firing shots as vehicles came over a hill.

Police say a man in his 50's who was in a Hyundai automobile died after being shot in the chest. Another man was shot in the shoulder and taken to an area hospital, while a third man was treated after broken glass caused injuries, reports the station.

Authorities believe the suspects in that shooting may be connected to a car theft that took place on Wednesday. Sources tell the station the suspects in the car theft are also believed to have stolen diamond earrings Thursday morning in Creve Couer, hours before the shooting in St. Louis.

Less than four hours after that shooting, homicide detectives were called to a St. Louis apartment complex after a man's body was found in a burned car. A neighbor tells the station the car was engulfed in flames when authorities arrived on the scene.

Police have not released any further information regarding the identity of the body.

The third homicide of the night happened on Interstate 70 just before 8 p.m. Police say a woman was driving when a car pulled up alongside her and opened fire. The woman was shot and then crashed her car. Authorities say she was rushed to an area hospital where she died, reports the station.

Then, at around 9:30 p.m., a man in his late teens or early 20's was found dead in an alley. Police say the victim died of a gunshot wound to his head.

On Friday morning, before 9 a.m., homicide detectives were called to a location in north St. Louis where two people were found dead of gunshot wounds. Police say both victims are black males either in their late 20's or early 30's, according to the station.