Drive-by shootings escalate with gang graffiti in Elkhart

by Ed Ernstes (ernstes@wsbt.com)

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A recent drive-by shooting left bullet holes in cars and houses in one Elkhart neighborhood. (WSBT photo)

By Beth Boehne

Story Created: Apr 10, 2008 at 3:10 PM EST

Story Updated: Apr 17, 2008 at 3:32 PM EST

ELKHART — Throughout the last couple months, WSBT News has told you about an increase in gang graffiti in Elkhart. Now, it looks like it may be escalating into something much more serious — drive-by shootings. There have been three in the last five days.

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“There were three shots on Monday and then about six or seven on Tuesday,” one neighbor told WSBT News about what she’s being hearing in the 2400 block of Frances Avenue — bullets striking the home and a car.

“It’s scary because somebody is going to get hurt,” she said. “A lot of the houses look alike in this area, so it’s like what if they get the wrong house, so that's our biggest concern. So I have two young boys and they stay in the front rooms."

“There was a suspect, maybe possibly involved in gangs,” Cochran said. “There was mention made that possibly the folks involved in the Frances incident were maybe possibly from Goshen."

Another drive-by shooting last week took place at a home on Aspenwald.

In that case a 19-year-old woman was shot while standing on the porch, but did not sustain life threatening injuries. She says she heard nine shots.

Two of those bullets hit parked cars.

“It does concern me a lot,” said one neighbor. “It just worries me and a lot of these gangs that are together just need to quit, put a stop to it."

In both neighborhoods, police have noticed an increase in gang graffiti.

“There's no doubt that you have opposing, rival gangs spraying it around the area, and you also have them living around the area,” Cochran said.

Police say they don't think the separate shootings are related.

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