By Tim Clifford

Single shot fired at passing car
A few minutes before 4 a.m. on Jan.1 a single gunshot was fired at a passing car near the Westwood Village Shopping Center on the 2800 block of S.W. Barton St. The victim drove up to a police cruiser approximately 30 minutes after the incident to report that he had been shot at.

The victim explained that he had been driving to pick up a friend when he noticed another friend of his walking along 25 Ave. S.W. / S.W. Trenton St. with a gas can. After offering this friend a lift the victim began driving through the mall to meet up with another acquaintance at a nearby restaurant. Spotting this friend sitting near a window of a restaurant in the mall the victim attempted to drive back around to pick her up.

As the victim was driving past a bush he noticed two black males in their early 20’s watching his car. One of the men ran through the bush and pulled out a handgun, pointing it at the victim’s vehicle as he passed. The victim heard a single gunshot and loud “thunk” on the side of his car. Hitting the gas the victim fled the scene and only returned when he was told by his friend in the restaurant that police had arrived.

The victim and the witnesses claimed to have never seen the suspects before and could only guess that maybe this incident was related to another acquaintance who is described as being a “crack head”. The victim’s car did not have a bullet hole but did show a large dent on the rear passenger side door. An area check for the two suspects turned up negative, they remain at large.

Neighborly dispute
On Jan.1 at a home on the 6700 block of 18 Ave. S.W. an argument between neighbors escalated quickly to bizarre and violent behavior. The victim was returning home when he noticed a young male and young female in his front yard at around 8 p.m. Hopping out of his car the victim began yelling at the couple to stay out of his yard.

The suspects began yelling back at the victim, with the female suspect described in the report as being “mouthy”. After yelling for a few minutes the male suspect reached into his pocket and pulled out a firecracker, lit it, and threw it at the victim. The suspects then walked away while the victim got back in his car and drove to the grocery store.

Returning to his home minutes later the victim noticed the suspects walking quickly towards him from down the street. The male suspect immediately began yelling at the victim and threw a ceramic pot he was carrying at the victim’s car. As the victim and the male suspect were yelling at each other the suspect pulled out a piece of metal rebar and started swinging, hitting the victim in the hand. Before walking away again the suspect threatened that next time he would swing on the victim’s car as well.

The victim informed police that this couple has regularly used his yard as a route to their own home which sits kitty corner from his. Officers contacted residents at the home and were told that the suspects had just left. The residents were asked to contact police in the event that the couple returned.

Crimes reported between Jan.2 and Jan.9

Burglaries by block: 3500 block of Beach Dr. S.W., 4500 block of 41 Ave. S.W., 4700 block of 45 Ave. S.W., 9000 block of 25 Ave. S.W., 11400 block of 37 Ave. S.W.

Car prowls by block: 3000 block of S.W. Avalon WY, 8400 block of 20 Ave. S.W.

Car thefts by block: 1200 block of Harbor Ave. S.W., 1300 block of S.W. Myrtle St., 8500 block of 37 Ave. S.W., 8100 block of 17 Ave. S.W., 500 block of S. Donovan St., 3400 block of S.W. Henderson St., 9200 block of 45 Ave. S.W., 9200 block of 14 Ave. S.W.