Car collision mistaken for gunshot near elected official: SLMPD

ST. LOUIS - The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD) says it received a report from an elected official, claiming that gunshots were fired in her vicinity.

The elected official--who was not named in the news release--reported to SLMPD on Tuesday that the alleged gunfire damaged the side-mirror of her car.

Although investigators determined that there was damage to the side-mirror, SLMPD says it was not consistent with a gunshot.

"Surveillance footage showed the elected official’s vehicle had struck a parked truck, causing a loud noise and mirror damage consistent with a collision," said Mitch McCoy, SLMPD spokesperson. "At this time, we believe the elected official genuinely thought it was a gunshot — an unfortunate reality that far too many St. Louisans experience that we work each day to reduce."

SLMPD has released surveillance footage of the incident for transparency purposes, which can be seen below: