ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — There are still a lot of unanswered questions about this car ‘slide show’ that started in the Bridgeton area and spilled out into a large portion of St. Louis County.
In addition to one teenager who was shot and killed, at least four other people were injured and one officer was hit by a car.
It was a very chaotic Saturday night that truly overwhelmed St. Louis County. Police departments were called in from all corners of the county and even beyond for multiple incidents that spanned hours.
What is a ‘slide show?’
Google Analytics show after events on Saturday surrounding this car 'slide show' many of you were searching for the answer to this question: "What is a slide show?"
A ‘slide show’ can also be called a ‘car meet’ or a ‘sideshow’ depending on where you live in the United States.
St. Ann Police Detective Lt. Monica Ruelas said to put it simply, it's illegal stunt driving.
“Essentially a group of individuals that have these high-speed cars that can drive fast, and basically, slide or do burnouts or donuts, however you want to call it. And they essentially just show what their cars can potentially do,” Ruelas said.
Chaos over the airwaves
Dispatch scanner traffic paints a clear picture of Saturday, May 18 and just how chaotic the "slide show" and its fallout was for first responders and affected communities.
It started in the Bridgeton area close to St. Ann.
Excerpts from police scanner traffic broadcast that night include the following:
"St. Louis County be advised, my sergeant has advised referencing the old Walmart that the vehicles, they're currently making their vehicles purposely backfire and they have subjects hanging out of the vehicles in the center, as they're doing donuts in the middle of the parking lot," one transmission said.
"Do you have any cars available to assist with the multiple cars out at St. Charles Rock Road and Cypress, possibly 500 to 1,000 attendees? Richmond is up and Maryland Heights is sending two cars as well," another dispatch said.
St. Ann police ended up calling in extra officers. The Missouri State Highway Patrol also had extra troopers on staff
But Ruelas said it was tough to navigate St. Charles Rock Road that night because of the sheer amount of cars.
“It was very hard for first responders to get there for traffic control, and other first responders to get there to try to assist victims that were in need of first aid,” Ruelas said.
St. Ann Police were able to divert some of the drivers from the event onto Interstate 70 but others split off speeding through side streets and later they ended up on Corporate Woods Drive. They originally said ‘Corporate Lake Drive’ on the scanners.
"Come back over this way with my med bag, we've got another victim right here gunshot wound to the leg," a first responder said over their radio.
"Multiple victims with gunshot wounds," another transmission said. "We're not taking fire and about to give them updates. They're at Corporate Lake Drive and 141, Corporate Lake Drive and 141."
And it all ended up on New Halls Ferry Road, where one officer was hit and pinned between two cars.
"Agencies surrounding North County: officer in need of aid," a transmission said. "11200 New Halls Ferry. 11200 New Halls Ferry. We're on hand for multiple cars in the area with shots fired. We're getting EMS for a civilian and an officer. The officer is not shot but it is in need of aid."
Consequences for participating
Ruelas said in St. Ann they have strong words for anyone who tries to bring a ‘slide show’ to their city again.
“Our community members do not want that. So we are going to use the amount of force necessary to stop that crime,” Ruelas said.
Charges for these kinds of events can include everything from traffic violations or higher charges like reckless driving and you can even be arrested and get your car towed.