Urbana Police investigating airsoft gun shootings

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The Urbana Police Division is continuing to investigate three separate incidents involving citizens being shot at from a person or persons inside a moving vehicle by what police believe to be an airsoft bb gun.

Urbana Police Chief Matt Lingrell said Thursday in a press release that although the incidents appear to be random acts of senselessness, police also believe the victims were shot at on purpose by the individuals involved with the hopes of causing them injury and pain.

On Tuesday, at 8:19 p.m., police responded to the area of Monument Square on a report of a pellet gun being shot from a moving vehicle at people who were walking in the Square area. The victim in this incident, Jamie Karg, 37, was walking with his wife when he sustained a small contusion to his back area from where it appears he was shot with a pellet.

His wife reported that she too may have been shot at a couple of weeks prior to this incident while she was walking in the area of Monument Square, but she did not report that incident to police because she was uncertain whether it was a pellet or a rock that struck her in her leg.

Mr. Karg did not require medical attention for his injury.

The Kargs described the vehicle from which they suspect the shot came from as a white or silver Mitsubishi or Hyundai type vehicle and that someone from the car yelled something about Pokemon as they passed by. The car was last seen westbound on Miami Street.

On Wednesday at 9:07 p.m., police responded to 231 Dewey Ave., on a report of a 4-year-old being struck in the head by someone who was shooting a suspected pellet gun from a moving car. The injured child was watching her father, Justin Clay, take out the trash when a silver vehicle going southbound on South Russell Street at a reported high rate of speed fired at least three shots, one striking the child in the upper left side of her head resulting in a small cut to her scalp.

The child was transported by Urbana EMS to Mercy Memorial Hospital for treatment of her injury.

Two and a half hours later at 11:34 p.m., police responded to another report of shots being fired from a suspected pellet gun in the area of the 200 block of West Water Street.

In this incident no one was injured, but the victim reported that in front of a residence a there a vehicle described as a silver mid-2000s box style car, possible a Honda Accord, drove past and fired what sounded like an airsoft pellet gun at him. The round missed the victim but struck something metal behind him.

Lingrell said police have no suspects at this time and are asking for the public’s help in identifying anyone involved in these incidents.

“These crimes are very troubling to us and to our community and it’s important that we identify those responsible quickly before another incident occurs,” Lingrell said.

Police are asking that if anyone has information that may stop further criminal acts of violence involving the suspects to notify Urbana Police at 937-652-4350 or through their crime/drug tip line at 937-652-4357.

Staff Report

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