ST. LOUIS - Police are searching for the driver who crashed into Mary's Pet Salon early Saturday morning in Northampton, causing thousands of dollars in damage.

The incident occurred just before 5 a.m. when residents were awakened by screeching tires and gunshots. The crash left a maroon bumper without a license plate at the scene, and the landlord is facing a $2,000 repair bill.

"This stretch of the Northampton neighborhood may look quiet, but behind the calm streets is a reputation for reckless driving," said a local resident.

Mary's Pet Salon has been a fixture in the neighborhood for 20 years. The building's landlord noted that while the corner has been clipped before, the damage from this crash is unprecedented.

Police reports mention gunfire before the crash, although officers did not find any shell casings at the scene. However, neighbors later reported seeing shell casings in the building's alley.

Officials are calling for the public's help to report any information by contacting CrimeStoppers at 866) 371-8477.

All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by KTVI. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by KTVI staff before being published.