The Associated Press
SANTA ROSA, California (AP) - An escalation of violence in this Sonoma County city has left nine people wounded, one of them paralyzed, in 32 drive-by shootings this year.
Police say the drive-bys have grown increasingly common, particularly in the south and northwest areas of the city where gangs thrive. So far, only two arrests have been made in connection with the shootings, which have been directed at people in homes, cars, or playing basketball in area parks.Only two arrests have been made in connection with the drive-bys.
One home in the Roseland area was hit with gunfire four times in four months, with one episode in April leaving a man paralyzed.
A 7-month-old girl and her 15-year old mother were hit with shotgun pellets during an outdoor walk in March. Police said the shootings appeared to be retaliation for the beating death of a gang member the day before.
A 16-year old boy was arrested earlier this month for firing a shot into a woman’s apartment, leaving a half dollar sized hole in her bedroom wall. Police said the boy thought he was shooting at the apartment of a fellow gang member.
While there have been no fatalities this year related to the drive-bys, the number of incidents is on the rise. In 2003, there were 25 drive-bys and just two injuries.
The effects of a drive-by shooting can resonate well beyond their target, to nearby homes and the surrounding neighborhood, Deputy Police Chief Scott Swanson said.
“Driving by someone’s home in the middle of the night and shooting in their home is a terrorist act,” said Deputy Police Chief Scott Swanson. “The victims are not just the persons who reside in that residence. The victims are people who live in that neighborhood.”
Authorities said they have had trouble combatting the incidents, most of which involve Asian or Hispanic gangs, because of budget cuts and lack of cooperative witnesses.
“Most of the time people are afraid of further problems or they don’t trust law enforcement to help them out,” said Sgt. Brian Davis, a police spokesman.