Chad Lundquist/Nevada Appeal Carson City Sheriff's Deputy Brian Hardy searches the steering column of this Mazda Protege for the .22 cal. bullet that passed through its passenger window on Tuesday night. It was one in a string of shootings in the late-night and early morning hours.
Carson City deputies are looking for whomever is responsible for shooting out windows on at least eight cars sometime between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.
Vehicles on Grant Street, Michael Drive, Parkland Avenue, Cinnabar Avenue, Norrie Drive and Chernus Drive were damaged in the spree that likely began about 10 p.m. on Tuesday night, according to Lt. Ken Sandage.
Sandage said the first window was found when deputies responded to a report of shots fired on Grant Drive at 10:17 p.m. Tuesday.
According to dispatch records, a caller reported hearing about six shots and an engine and exhaust that sounded like a small pickup truck. A second vehicle was also found damaged on Grant Street.
About 11:24 p.m. on Michael Drive a caller reported hearing "three loud pops."
Another vehicle was found damaged there.
Victim Nicholl Hastings, 20, said she heard some commotion Tuesday on Parkland Avenue and thought it was a cat was playing in a nearby tree.
When she got into her vehicle Wednesday morning, she saw debris on her passenger seat, then quickly realized it was glass. A bullet entered her Mazda Protege's tinted passenger window and lodged in her steering column. Deputy Brian Mays said the tint kept the window from shattering.
"I just guessed it was a bullet hole," she said. "I wish it wasn't. I'd feel better if it wasn't."
Mays said a .22 cal. casing was found at one scene. At another location technicians removed a portion of a seat back to recover a bullet.
At least two of the victims work for the same Carson City motorcycle shop, but that appears to just be a coincidence, said Sandage.
Sandage urged anyone who heard anything Tuesday night into Wednesday morning or anyone who may have had their cars damaged but didn't report it, to call the Carson City Sheriff's Department at 887-2020 ext. 2500.
n Contact reporter F.T. Norton at ftnorton@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1213.
