Dodson Avenue home shot at, child wounded
Things were quiet Sunday afternoon in the 600 block of Dodson Avenue; there was no obvious sign a shooting had occurred just hours before or that a child had been injured.
The 7-year-old boy was asleep in the home when he was struck by a “high velocity object, such as a bullet or fragment” just after 5 a.m., according to a news release from the Chattanooga Police Department.
The child was taken to a local hospital, and his injuries were described as not life-threatening, police said.
By 3 p.m., the only evidence of the shooting was the spray of bullet holes across the face of the small, frame home, and some wadded-up crime scene tape on the front porch. No one answered when a reporter knocked on the door.
At least 12 bullet holes could be seen — three in the door, another three in a window and several sprayed along the front.
A neighbor, who did not want to be identified for fear
of retaliation, said multiple shots rang out around 5:15 a.m. That’s when the police were called, the neighbor said.
The police department didn’t immediately respond to questions whether the bullets were fired from a moving vehicle and where the child was when he was struck.
This is the second shooting on Dodson Avenue within 24 hours. The first was a drive-by that happened in the 1900 block at around 1 p.m. Saturday.
The shooting left Leslie Lebon Walker, 28, with a leg injury. He refused medical treatment and gave “very little” suspect information, police said.
The Violent Crimes Bureau is investigating the shooting Sunday morning, and anyone who has information regarding the incident is asked to call the CPD. Callers can remain anonymous.