Authorities investigating a series of freeway shootings in Southern California have an urgent message for victims — call as soon as possible.
CHP investigators have implored victims to report shootings right away because it can help locate where and when it happened. Authorities can then use clues found by checking Caltrans cameras along the freeways in their efforts to track down the shooter or shooters.
NBC4 is attempting to confirm reports of a possible arrest Wednesday morning in connection with the shootings.
The CHP has boosted patrols on local freeways and may be a short distance away. They have a better chance of capturing a potential suspect if the call is made right away.
“We are taking each of these incidents seriously and actively searching for those responsible,” CHP Border Division Assistant Chief Donald Goodbrand said last week. “The public should still feel safe while driving their vehicles on our California freeways.”
Two more vehicles were damaged Tuesday by BB or pellet gun fire in Orange County, and another vehicle’s window was shattered in Riverside, sending the soaring vandalism tally this past month up to about 100.
No one has been injured in the spate of unsolved window-shattering attacks on the freeways in Los Angeles, Orange and Riverside counties, but the victim count keeps climbing and drivers are worried.
In the latest incidents, one vehicle was damaged about 6 a.m. on the southbound Costa Mesa (55) north of Fourth Street in Santa Ana and another shooting occurred about 7 a.m. on the Santa Ana (5) Freeway in Irvine, said California Highway Patrol Officer John DeMatteo. In the latter incident, the driver did not call it in until about an hour later, so it’s unclear where exactly it happened, he said.
The most recent shooting happened just after 8 a.m. on the westbound Riverside (91) Freeway, blowing out the driver’s window.
In the past month — mainly in Los Angeles, Orange and Riverside counties — the CHP estimates there have been about 100 incidents of cars being damaged by BB or pellet gun fire. It is unclear how many perpetrators there are, whether some are copycats, and what types of cars they’re driving, though white sedans were spotted in attacks earlier this month in Corona.
No specific descriptions of the cars or suspects have been provided by the CHP.
CHP Officer Florentino Olivera said one CHP officer’s cruiser recently sustained a damaged window on the eastbound 91 at the 241 Tollway in the Anaheim Hills that could possibly be part of the crime spree.
Anyone with information about the shootings was asked to call the CHP Border Division Investigative Services Unit at 714-288-6336.
Source: NBC Los Angeles