Sentence handed down to man for Tower Grove Park attacks
June 4, 2026

First Alert 4 – A St. Louis man has been sentenced to prison after he admitted to attacking people at Tower Grove Park.


Austin J. Fitzgerald, 61, pleaded guilty in a St. Louis City courtroom on Thursday to 13 felony charges, including first-degree kidnapping, sexual abuse, assault, and unlawful possession of brass knuckles.


Prosecutors said that in August 2025, Fitzgerald approached two women from behind with a black pistol-like gun and stated, "You two are coming with me." One of the women began screaming for help and turned on her car alone, and Fitzgerald ordered the other woman into his car, where he groped her while keeping a gun in his lap. The woman managed to escape from Fitzgerald's vehicle and run to someone else's car for help.


Click below to see the full story from First Alert 4.

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For Immediate Release

For more information contact:

Amber Raub

Public Information Officer

St. Louis Circuit Attorney's Office

rauba@stlouiscao.org

314-589-6233 (office)

314-312-9912 (cell)

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