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URBANA — Officers of the Urbana Police Department are investigating three separate incidents involving citizens being shot at with a suspected airsoft BB gun by individuals inside a moving vehicle.
In the first incident Tuesday evening, officers responded about 8:20 p.m. to the area of Monument Square on the report of a pellet gun being shot from a moving vehicle at people who were walking in the area.
The victim, Jamie Karg, 37, reportedly was walking with his wife when he sustained a small contusion to his back. He did not require medical attention.
His wife reported that she, too, may have been shot at a couple of weeks prior to this incident while walking in the same area, 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.
Wednesday evening about 9:10 p.m., police responded to 231 Dewey Ave. on a report of a 4-year-old girl being struck by someone who was shooting a suspected pellet gun from a moving car.
The child reportedly was watching her father take out the trash when a vehicle drove by and someone fired at least three shots, one striking her in the upper left side of her head. The girl, who sustained a small cut to her scalp, was transported by Urbana EMS to Mercy Memorial Hospital in Urbana.
Then about 11:35 p.m. that evening, officers responded to another report of shots being fired from a suspected pellet gun in the area of the 200 block of west Water Street.
While no one was injured in this incident, the male victim reported a vehicle drove by and someone fired what sounded like an airsoft pellet gun at him. The round missed the victim, but struck something metal behind him.
The victims described the suspect vehicle or vehicles as being silver mid-2000s box style car, possibly a Honda Accord, or a white or silver Mitsubishi- or Hyundai-type vehicle.
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,” Police Chief Matt Lingrell said.
Contact Urbana Police at (937) 652-4350 or their Crime/Drug Tip Line at (937) 652-4357.