Oct. 27--There have been two shootings today on I-96 in Livingston County that law enforcement officials believe are connected to 22 other shootings that occurred during a three-day period earlier this month.
One man was struck in his buttocks, marking the first injury in the shootings, which police believe is the work of one man firing a handgun, mostly at motorists, while he drives.
Today's incidences come less than two weeks after a gunman went on a three-day shooting spree through Oakland, Livingston, Ingham and Shiawassee counties, police officials have said.
Livingston County Sheriff Bob Bezotte said that at 11:52 a.m. today an 18-year-old driver called 9-1-1 to report that his car had been shot at while driving on I-96 near the Fowlerville Road exit. The shot, Bezotte, went through the rear driver's side window clear through the other side of the car. An 18-year-old woman was a passenger, he said. No one was hurt.
Less than a half hour later, at 12:19 p.m., another 9-1-1 call came in, this time from a 46-year-old man from the Grand Rapids area heading to Detroit for the Tigers game, Bezotte said. The man said he thought his tire had blown out while driving on I-96 near the Fowlerville Road exit, but when he got out to check, he noticed his buttocks was wet and realized he had been hit by a bullet, Bezotte said.
He said the man drove himself to a Mobil gas station off of Fowlerville Road and called 9-1-1. The victim was taken to a nearby hospital, underwent surgery and is expected to recover, Bezotte said.
He said preliminary findings indicate the gunman may have been on westbound 96 shooting across the expressway. He said it's unclear whether the man was stopping to shoot, shooting from a field or shooting as he drove.
"We do believe he's mobile, but anything's possible," he said.
Bezotte said police believe this gunman is the same man who terrorized roadways earlier this month. All but one target were motorists. One man was shot at as he took his garbage out, police have said.
Testing on ballistics evidence recovered from shootings in Oakland, Livingston and Ingham counties proved that the same gun was used in those incidents, police announced earlier this week.
Bezotte said police expected that the shootings could start up again.
"You don't have 22 incidents and then have it all of a sudden stop," he said. "We need the public's help more than ever now. We now have a victim that's been shot."
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers of Michigan at 800-773-2587(800-SPEAK-UP).
Copyright 2012 - Detroit Free Press
