Police seeking slingshot sniper

A different type of drive-by shooter is being sought by police after a slingshot wielding vandal celebrated the day after Christmas by breaking windows around town.

The vandal or vandals struck between 7:15 p.m. and 8 p.m. Monday, hitting three residences across town within 45 minutes, leading lawmen to suspect the vandals were traveling in a vehicle, perhaps firing the slingshot out of the moving vehicle.

Given the recent series of drive-by shootings involving a mysterious gunman which left one man wounded last week, the loud gunshot-type sounds caused by the shattering glass invoked concerns a gunman may have opened fire. However, police examining the scene of the three incidents found evidence that different types of projectiles such as ball bearings and large screws were used to inflict the damage.

The incidents began on West End Avenue when the victim reported hearing a bang while sitting on his couch. He found two small holes in his window and a ball bearing was found lying nearby. Then, at 7:50 p.m. a resident on Rebel Hill reported hearing a bang and finding a window broken. A large screw was found lying nearby.

The last hit happened on Sioux Trail in Westwood when the resident reported hearing a “pop” and then found one of her car windows had been broken. A neighbor reported seeing a gray and burgundy 4×4 pickup cruising the neighborhood just before the incident.

Given the time frame and items commonly used in slingshots lying at the three scenes, lawmen suspect the incidents are related and are part of the same vandalism spree.