Police follow leads in two shootings

Downingtown Police Chief Holland: Police have several leads, possible motives

Police are following several leads as they search for a second suspect in two seemingly related shootings.

DOWNINGTOWN » Police are following several leads as they search for a second suspect in two seemingly related shootings that occurred on Sunday night and injured one person.

Downingtown Police Chief Howard Holland said one suspect is in custody and a warrant was issued for a second suspect. Neither of the suspects were named during the ongoing investigation. He said that the officers are still developing information and are working on several leads. He added that the police have gathered several possible motives, but none have been substantiated.

“The officers have done a very good job,” Holland said on Tuesday about the investigation.

Police responded at about 8:53 p.m. Sunday to the unit block of Gable Avenue in Downingtown for a report of shots fired. Upon police arrival, the officers said they found a man who had been shot in the upper torso outside of the residence. He was transported to Paoli Hospital for treatment and has since been released.

Detectives and forensic personnel responded to the scene to assist with the investigation, and they located a firearm, police said in a press release. Just more than two hours after this incident occurred, police were dispatched for another report of shots fired. Holland said both shootings, which occurred outside of the residences, are believed to be related.

Police responded at about 11 p.m. Sunday to the 100 block of Brandywine Avenue. At that crime scene, police said they found evidence that a gun had been fired. Chester County Detectives responded to the second scene and processed it. Police said they did not find evidence that anyone had been struck by the gunfire, and a second firearm was recovered at this scene.

“Downingtown is, has been and will continue to be a safe place to live and work,” Holland said. “However there are people, that in any location or time, can commit acts with a deliberate indifference to life. It is in these moments that the police and assisting government entities must work diligently to bring the investigations to a positive conclusion.”

The Downingtown Police Department provides coverage to Downingtown Borough and East Caln Township. The last shooting prior to this in the borough occurred Nov. 17, 2014. At that time one person was shot in his home in the 400 block of Farmhouse Road during what police described as a suspected drug transaction. Police arrested two people for that crime. The last shooting in East Caln occurred March 6, 2016. No one was injured at that time when

“Downingtown is, has been and will continue to be a safe place to live and work. However there are people, that in any location or time, can commit acts with a deliberate indifference to life. It is in these moments that the police and assisting government entities must work diligently to bring the investigations to a positive conclusion.” — Downingtown Police Chief Howard Holland

an alleged child molester, who was out on bail at the time and quickly arrested that day for the shooting, reportedly shot into an occupied home where his victim lived.

Police ask that anyone with information about the shootings on Sunday contact the Downingtown Police Department at 610269-0263.