Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) is investigating two more vehicle shootings that took place on Tuesday this week along Interstate 10. It is unclear if the latest shootings are related to the seven other shootings of cars on the interstate.
At a news conference on Tuesday, Colonel Frank Milstead, director of the Arizona Department of Public Safety, said none of the incidents have resulted in any deaths, but warned, “It’s just a matter of time, if this continues, that we have tragedy on our roadways,” reports Reuters.
Milstead used the word “projectiles” instead of “bullets” when describing the shootings, not confirming that all the incidents were shootings. He also would not confirm the shootings as being the work of one person, saying some of them may be the work of a copycat, according to Fox News.
The first shooting took place on Aug. 29, when gunfire shattered the window of an SUV. Later the same day, a tour bus was hit, and that night, another vehicle was hit, but the driver didn’t notice the damage until the next morning. Other vehicles, including a truck and a Phoenix police officer’s car have been hit by projectiles, assumed to be bullets.
The NewYork Post says that in just about all the incidents, people heard loud noises, but some didn’t realize their vehicles had been hit until much later. Only one injury has been sustained in the shootings. A 13-year old girl was cut on the ear by broken glass. “Ten days, nine incidents,” said Milstead. “This is a real and continuing threat to Arizona motorists.”
Milstead said the police were using their gang task force, special weapon and tactical personnel as well as undercover officers for freeway surveillance. The reward for information leading to the arrest of the person or persons responsible for the shootings has been quadrupled, from $5,000 to $20,000.
Branding the incidents “domestic terrorism,” Milstead said, “If you drive that stretch of roadway, be hypervigilant. “Do not be distracted while you’re operating your car or truck.”
