Gunfire damages homes, vehicles in Beech Grove
Police: Over 40 shell casings found
Police collected over 40 shell casings after shootings in the Beech Grove neighborhood on Sunday left four vehicles and several homes damaged.
According to reports at the Forrest City Police Department, officers received “multiple” calls from the city’s new ShotSpotter system Sunday in the Cardinal and Laughrun areas.
The first incident was reported about 2 p.m., on Laughrun Drive when a resident called police to report that two black males walking in front of her home got into a verbal altercation with two black males outside her residence, with the groups eventually yelling at one another from opposite ends of the street.
The woman told police that upon hearing gunfire, she ran into her home. She said the shooting went on in a “sustained manner over several minutes.”
During the gunfire, the woman’s Ford Fusion was struck by bullets as was a Honda van in the area.
Officers recovered four shell casings fired from a 9mm weapon and 19 shell casings fired from an semi-automatic rifle.
Police were called back to the neighborhood Sunday night.
According to police, these incidents were reported about 9:50 p.m., on Cardinal Drive, where officers found two vehicles and residences damaged by gunfire.
At 218 Cardinal, according to the report, officers recovered 20 shell casings including 11 fired from a 9mm weapon and nine from a .40 caliber weapon.
Officers said the home was damaged by the gunfire and the back glasses were shot out of two vehicles – a GMC Terrain and a Ford Fusion.
The resident told officers the family of four was sitting in the living room when they heard gunfire and glass breaking as he told everyone to get on the floor because he “determined his house was being shot up.”
The resident also told police he believes this shooting may be related to the June 3 murder of Akira Brandon Norris, 38, who lived in the Beech Grove neighborhood.
According to police, the city’s ShotSpotter system determined the “shooters were firing from under a tree in the yard.” Officers
are also reviewing camera footage from neighbors in the area.
One of the home’s residents told police they have filed several reports in the past regarding the suspects they believe shot at their home Sunday night and are “in fear for their lives.”
A second home was reportedly damaged during this shooting. A resident at 303 Cardinal told officers her home was struck during the gunfire at 218 Cardinal Drive.
The resident reported her living room window had been shot out. Police said the bullet traveled through the living room glass, an interior wall, an interior room and became lodged in an exterior wall at the rear of the house.
Police are also investigating a pair of incidents reported on Saturday.
In one of those, a woman reported her 14-year-old brother and his 21-year-old friend were walking from a store near Rosser Street when they were “chased” by a suspect with a weapon. She said the suspect also drove by their residence after the two returned home.
Police said ShotSpotter showed one shot fired at the Rosser Street location about 4 p.m.
An incident involving gunfire in the Stonebrook Subdivision is also being investigated.
The homeowner called police to the residence about 1 p.m., Saturday, saying the garage had been struck by gunfire.
According to the report, the woman told officers a 20-yearold male was watching television in the garage about 1 a.m., when he said a single bullet was fired through the garage door, becoming lodged in the back wall.
Police said ShotSpotter did not show any gunfire in that area during the timeframe given to police. A neighbor also told officers that the camera at their residence did not show any vehicles during that time nor detect any gunshots.
All of these investigations are continuing.