Columbia police: Burglaries, shooting may be related
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Columbia police say one man may have been involved in two different burglaries in central Columbia early Tuesday.
A woman was shot during one of the burglaries.
Columbia Police Department Assistant Chief Jeremiah Hunter said at an afternoon news conference that police responded to the first burglary around 12:33 a.m. on Pendleton Street.
Watch a replay of the news conference in the player below.
A child inside the home saw a man outside of a window, Hunter said. An adult inside the home later heard whistling and saw the man outside of a window and called 911, he said.
Police later found that a window on the residence had been slightly opened.
Hunter said police later responded to East Forest Street around 2:33 a.m. for another burglary. The woman inside the home heard a noise coming from outside, but did not see anything suspicious, he said.
Hunter said she later heard a noise from inside the home, and when she got out of bed she saw a man climbing through a window. She told police the intruder began making sexual advances toward her.
The man left after the woman yelled, Hunter said. She then called 911, and while on the phone, the man shot from outside the home, hitting her, he said.
She is in stable condition.
Victims from both calls gave similar descriptions to police.
"The suspect was described by the victim in this second incident as a heavy-set black male in his early 30s with a buzz cut, and last seen wearing a white T-shirt, jean shorts and red shoes," Hunter said.
Hunter said the man has previously been seen in the area on foot and driving a gray four-door sedan.
Police were not able to find him after searching in the area.
"Due to both incidents happening within a two-mile radius and only two hours apart from each other, and the descriptions from both victims being similar, it is likely that the same suspect was involved in both incidents," Hunter said.
Police are asking people who live in the area to be on alert for suspicious activity, to lock their windows and doors even when they are home and to turn on outside lights.
They are also asking people with cameras to review video to see if they may have captured an image or video of the man.
He is considered armed and dangerous.
Police could not say whether the man was targeting any specific demographic.
"Obviously he's been looking through windows and trying to do some kind of scouting before he's entering these homes," Hunter said.
This is an ongoing investigation and police are asking for anyone with information to call police or CrimeStoppers.
"Obviously this person has been in this area and if there are people out there that recognize the behavior or someone that they know that has been acting differently who matches this description we would certainly appreciate a call," CPD Chief Geoff Jones said.
