ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – The St. Louis County Police Department says a verbal argument between two men sitting in a car in the 700 block of Lemay Ferry Road led to one of them being shot in the arm with a .45 caliber Smith and Wesson.

The bullet went through the victim’s arm and entered his chest. He left the vehicle and went inside a QuikTrip. When the police found the man who was accused of the shooting, he had already left the scene in his car.

After a four-mile pursuit, the suspect’s car crashed at Ohio Avenue and Broadway Street.

A nearby resident said they were not surprised by the crime.

“It’s a common everyday thing, so it’s no reaction,” said Robert Depew. “It’s bad in this area.”

On Tuesday afternoon, the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office issued charges on the suspect, 22-year-old Matthew Leibach, for first-degree assault, armed criminal action, unlawful possession of a firearm, and resisting arrest for a felony.

A .45 caliber Smith and Wesson M&P firearm was seized from inside Leibach’s vehicle. Authorities note that on July 14, 2022, Leibach was convicted of a felony of unlawful use of a weapon in the 22nd Judicial Circuit of St. Louis County.

The shooting victim was transported to a nearby hospital with no life-threatening injuries.

A longtime St. Louis City resident said crime has been rampant.

“Oh constantly. We had a guy go up and down my street shooting at another car back a few months ago,” Depew said. “I mean, I had my truck stolen in this neighborhood. I’ve seen cars stolen out of this driveway and this lot. One guy was parked over here filling air in his tire, and they hijacked his car and ran him over. This is not a great area anymore.”

Leibach is being held on a $100,000 cash-only bond.

St. Louis County police officers from the south county precinct are handling the investigation.