Police: some recent shootings have gang ties
Columbia Police have deemed that some of the recent shootings in Columbia have gang affiliations.
The shots-fired incidents all occurred in the last two weeks.
The first incident happened on June 25 on Currituck Drive where a house and a car were hit by shotgun shells.
Just two days later, police responded to a shots fired call on St. Charles Road at around 3:30 a.m., where a car was hit. There was no suspect description on that call.
Two days after that, on June 29, Anthony Prince shot three times at Douglass Park. Prince told police he was robbed, but was shooting a gun from the person who was trying to rob him. Prince was arrested and charged for that shooting.
The next day, on June 30, a 33-year-old man was shot in the stomach during a home invasion.The suspects were described as black males, one of whom was wearing a black shirt.
On July 2nd, police responded to a shots fired cal on Demaret Drive where there were no injuries and no suspect description.
On July 3, A 39-year-old was shot on Oak and Garth, with no suspect description.
On early July 4, 20 shell casings were found at Worley and McBaine and no suspect description was given.
Later on July 4, 29 shell casings were found in Columbia’s Downtown Optimist Park, and one man was hit. The suspects were described as two black men.
Currituck Drive was hit again on July 5 where a home was hit just before 4:30 a.m., and 7 shell casings were found. The only suspect description is a black man.
Also on July 5, 29 shell casings were found, a 26-year-old woman was hit and a 17-year-old was grazed by a bullet. The suspect is described as a black man with dreadlocks driving a silver Pontiac.
Columbia Sergeant Robert Dochler said in a news release the department is working to address the problem and have possibly identified some people who may have been involved with these crimes.
