The California Highway Patrol is investigating a series of incidents in which vehicles were damaged by a BB or pellet gun on the 91 Freeway in Riverside County, with three reported less than 30 minutes apart on Monday morning.
The first report came just before 10:40 p.m. Sunday, when CHP units responded to an In-N-Out in the 7400 block of Indiana Street to help a motorist whose car window had been shattered while he drove on the 91, according to a CHP news release.
The man told officers he heard his right rear window shatter while heading eastbound between Van Buren Boulevard and Adams Street. Moments later, the front passenger side window also shattered, he said. The damaged appeared to have been caused by a BB.
“The victim advised he didn’t know if there was a car or anything next to him at the time,” CHP stated in the release.
Three more similar incidents — all involving a BB or pellet gun — were reported before dawn on Monday.
Shortly after 5 a.m., CHP officers responded to a “shots fired” call and found a white Ford Transit vanpool with two punctured left-side windows. The damage was sustained while the driver was traveling westbound on the freeway near Main Street, according to the release.
Then, just before 5:20 a.m., a third victim was located on the westbound 91 east of Main Street. In that case, a white Ford F-150’s right rear window had been punctured.
Approximately 11 minutes later, a male caller dialed CHP from his residence to report his Ford Excursion had also been shot at on the westbound 91 near Lincoln Avenue, leaving his SUV’s rear right window shattered. He described the vehicle traveling to the right of him as a white sedan, possibly an Acura, authorities said. It’s unclear if that vehicle is suspected of being involved in the attack.
No injuries were reported in any of the four incidents, and no formal suspect description was provided. CHP is actively looking for video, an officer told KTLA.
An investigation is underway, and CHP is urging any witnesses to step forward and call them at 951-637-8000.
