PORT ANGELES — Police continued Saturday to investigate a mid-October shooting spree that left windows of 15 businesses, houses, vehicles and bus stops shattered — at least three by what appeared to be a BB gun.
The damage inflicted far exceeded the $5,000 that makes the incidents, collectively, a case of first-degree malicious mischief, Deputy Police Chief Jason Viada said Friday.
“We are way, way over that,” he said.
The Class B felony is punishable by up to 10 years in jail and a $20,000 fine.
The area attacked stretched from west of Port Angeles at East First Street and Golf Course Road and west to downtown Port Angeles and Tenth and F streets.
Peninsula Communications emergency dispatch center received 14 reports of broken windows between 8:15 p.m. Oct. 14 and 4:53 p.m. Oct. 15.
A 15th report was received at 8:53 p.m. Oct. 16, when a dispatcher was told the window of a business was shot out by a BB gun, Viada said.
The targets include bus stop windows at two locations. Also hit was Angeles Furniture and Mattress Co. at 1114 E. First St. east of the city center.
Office manager Linda Ross said two windows were shattered, the tempered glass spraying in tiny pieces on leather furniture.
Discovering the damage was a shock.
“I was surprised and like, oh, my God,” she said.
“It was very heavy glass, too.
“Glass got all in the chairs, and some of those are damaged, too.”
Damage at three of the locations indicate a BB gun was used. Holes were found in car window parked at a business.
A gunshot was heard at another site.
“I would discourage people from making assumptions on the age of the suspect based on that MO,” Viada said of the possibility a BB gun was used.
“We’ve had a lot of incidents in recent months involving BB guns that involve adults.
“I think assuming that this is a juvenile might be taking a leap. That’s a real stereotype.”
There could be more than one suspect, Viada said.
“We’re working on all that,” he said.
“Every year that goes by, there’s more surveillance video in our city, and every year that goes by, the surveillance video is better.”
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Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 55650, or at pgottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.
