Customer's car hit by stray gunfire at Sheetz on East Washington Street, police say
A customer’s car was hit by stray gunfire Saturday night during what Hagerstown Police said was a targeted shooting outside the Sheetz store on East Washington Street, but no one was hurt.
A male opened fire with a 9 mm handgun toward a car parked at one of the gas pumps with the male driver seated inside and another male standing outside. Police weren’t immediately sure who was the intended target, according to Lt. Rebecca Fetchu.
A female driver seated in her car at another pump nearby heard the gunfire, ducked down and drove off. She later returned to pick up her sister who was inside the store at the time. A bullet hole was found in the rear passenger side of her car, Fetchu said.
The targeted vehicle, which was struck in the hood, also fled the scene. The shooter, a tall, younger male wearing black clothing and a black mask, fled on foot, Fetchu said.
Police recovered nine shell casings at the scene of the shooting, which was captured on the store’s surveillance video was well as the city’s network of cameras, according to Fetchu.
“We believe we have a suspect at this point, but it's an active investigation and there are a number of things we're still working on,” Fetchu said.
She was unable to comment on what might have prompted the shooting.
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An officer who was in the area at the time heard the gunfire and others responded quickly. Police had been conducting extra patrols in the vicinity because of the amount of gun violence and other crimes in the general area, Fetchu said.
"We had officers in the area because we know we've had issues at that store," she said, noting that police receive frequent complaints about crimes there including trespassing and drug offenses. "So that's why they were right on top of it. They were doing proactive enforcement there."
Sheetz spokesman Nick Ruffner issued a statement Monday afternoon, saying, "At Sheetz, the safety of our customers and employees, both inside and outside our stores, is our top priority.
"We have multiple security cameras monitored 24/7/365 as well as other safeguards which allow our employees to notify police as soon as an emergency situation develops," the statement said. "We are fully cooperating with Hagerstown Police and doing everything in our power to help as this investigation continues."
Police are asking that anyone with information about the shooting contact Officer Travis Wheat at twheat@hagerstownpd.org.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Police: Two cars hit in Hagerstown shooting Saturday but no one hurt
