A shooting along Interstate 40 in Wake County has spooked drivers and Raleigh police.
Several cars were shot at Wednesday morning along Interstate 40 near Chapel Hill Road, days after similar reports of shootings at cars occurred Monday.
The calls originate from an extension of I-40 in Raleigh and Cary from Chapel Hill Road to Gorman Street to Buck Jones Road.
At a press conference, an officer said there were a total of six shooting incidents (two on Monday and four on Wednesday). Events are interconnected. Police have no suspect.
No one was injured Wednesday in the incidents that occurred around 4:58 a.m., according to police. Another car was shot at just before 6:30 a.m. on I-40 near Gorman Street. On Monday morning, a woman was shot in the leg along I-40 near Chapel Hill Road.
Police believe a handgun is the type of weapon used.
“He was [going to] “Be there until we find out who’s responsible for this accident,” said Rico Boyce, Raleigh’s deputy chief. “Obviously a lot of people travel this road. This is a priority for the Raleigh Police Department and we will do everything we can to find who is responsible.”
The biggest problem law enforcement faces during this type of shooting is trying to “protect citizens from the shadows,” said Hunter Glass, a private investigator and law enforcement consultant.
“The first order of business is to find out if there is a connection between the victims and try to determine the motive behind the crimes,” he said.
Nash County Sheriff Keith Stone is no stranger to issues similar to what Raleigh police face. In 2020, the Nash County Sheriff’s Office arrested a man who was racing along I-95 and shooting at several cars along the interstate. The man led deputies and law enforcement on a chase that spanned multiple counties.
Stone said tips from drivers will play a pivotal role in finding the suspect.
“[It’s] “It’s a very serious crime, and something has to happen. Being able to report crimes at the time, being able to provide good descriptions, that’s what solves these cases, makes it possible to stop these things quickly,” he said.
Susan Kennedy, a former reporter from Washington, D.C., said drivers may feel similar fear as they did in 2002 in D.C., when a man and a teenager shot and killed 10 people.
“You don’t know who they’re targeting,” she said. “Is it just random? Is it just an overpass from a side road.” [or] Front road? “You don’t know, and the unknown is terrifying.”
Glass also reassured residents that the authorities take the matter seriously and are taking all steps to ensure the safety of drivers.
He added: “I have no doubt that they are fully engaged in finding the responsible parties.” “I imagine law enforcement is doing everything they can to get intelligence, like street cameras, news on the street, asking for potential witnesses.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact Raleigh Police at 919-996-3335 or by Visit the Crime Stoppers website.
