Shootout leads police to suspected drug house
TRENTON » A Saturday night shootout that damaged several cars led police to a suspected drug house while searching for a victim.
Officials say cops were forced to enter a city home after learning the possible victim of a shooting lived in the area.
“We knocked on his door and got no response,” Lt. Darren Zappley said. “So, fearing that he was shot and had retreated into the house, we had to force entry into the property to check on his well-being.”
The man was not inside the home when police entered, but cops found “illegal items,” prompting officials to secure the property while they await a search warrant to seize what they found.
Officials say the man who lives in the house has contacted police and wants to tell his side of the story. But as of press time, the man has not been found.
“I’m sure it got back to him that police went in his house and he knows what’s in there,” Zappley said.
The incident started around 7 p.m. when citizens reported hearing numerous gunshots in an alley in the rear of the 400 block of Cleveland Avenue. Police say evidence suggests at least two people exchanged gunfire. Detectives found numerous shell casings at the scene and several cars were riddled with bullet holes.
One of those vehicles, a white Mercedes Benz, was still idling with the key in the ignition and the driver’s side door open when cops arrived on scene. Police say the car had a bullet hole through the window and several others in the front panel of the vehicle.
After confirming the owner of the Benz lived on the block, cops knocked on his door, but received no response. And that’s when they forced entry to his home and allegedly found contraband.
“Without going into detail, there are some items in there that are illegal, but we have to obtain a warrant before we can confiscate those items,” Zappley said.
Officials say a female later told police the male who owned the Benz sent her a text stating he was shot and lying underneath a porch. The woman told police the man did not provide a location, so cops used a K-9 to search for him to no avail.
“We jumped through a lot of hoops last night to try and find the man,” Zappley said.
Ultimately, police concluded the information about the man being under a porch was simply a ruse intended to lead police away from the man’s home. But it didn’t work.
Police were seen still guarding the house Sunday afternoon, as cops awaited a search warrant to seize any illegal items found on the property.
As of press time, police have not found blood nor any other evidence of a victim being struck by gunfire. The motive for the shootout remains under investigation.