ST. LOUIS, MO – Early Wednesday morning, a break-in at a historic Masonic lodge in St. Louis’s Central West End ended with the intruder being fatally shot. The confrontation occurred at the Tuscan Lodge No. 360 A.F. & A.M., a building recognized on the National Register of Historic Places since 1975, located mere blocks from Forest Park.

Authorities reported that the intrusion, which took place just before 4 a.m., prompted an alarm that awakened a resident living in an apartment within the lodge. The 37-year-old, identified as a member of the Masonic order, encountered the intruder on the second floor after descending from his third-floor apartment. In the ensuing confrontation, the resident shot the suspect, a man in his 40s, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

The resident immediately contacted the police following the incident and is currently cooperating with the ongoing investigation. As of Wednesday afternoon, police had not disclosed whether the intruder was armed at the time of the break-in.

Missouri’s Castle Doctrine allows homeowners to use lethal force against intruders under the fear of harm. Saint Louis University law professor Anders Walker emphasized the state’s broad interpretation of the doctrine, noting that Missouri law does not require the threat of serious injury or death—merely the fear of any injury justifies the use of lethal force in such situations.

The Tuscan Lodge No. 360 A.F. & A.M., home to approximately 160 members, including notable figures such as four Missouri governors, two St. Louis mayors, and three U.S. senators, has yet to comment on the incident. The lodge was also frequented by former President Harry S. Truman.

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