Hollister
– Police are investigating the first drive-by shooting of the
year that nearly destroyed one car Thursday night, but left its
occupants uninjured.
Hollister – Police are investigating the first drive-by shooting of the year that nearly destroyed one car Thursday night, but left its occupants uninjured.
Unknown suspects fired three shotgun blasts from their vehicle into another moving car Thursday night on B Street near West Street in Hollister, said Officer Rosie Betanio. No one in the car was injured during the incident, but police said the vehicle was badly damaged by the three blasts. Betanio said police had no indication that the shooting was gang-related by press time on Monday.
“We’re not sure at this point if the shooting was designed to intimidate or to cause injury,” she said. “But that will be determined during the course of our investigation.”
Detectives are still investigating the shooting to find more information about those involved and a possible motive for the crime, Betanio said. Both cars were occupied and moving at the time of the shooting. However, police did not have descriptions of either vehicle involved. Betanio said police also did not have descriptions of the suspects. Officers are still compiling a police report on the incident.
Although evidence was recovered from the scene, police declined to release specific information about what was found.
Thursday’s shooting marks of the first drive-by of 2006. Betanio said weather was likely a factor in the timing.
“As the weather gets nicer, the more people get out and do this kind of thing,” she said. “But it doesn’t mean we’ll see a huge spike in the crime rate, it just means people are out and more active.”
Anyone with information about the shooting is urged to contact the Hollister Police Department at 831-636-4330.
Brett Rowland covers public safety for the Free Lance. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 330 or
br******@fr***********.com
.
