Bullets nearly hit families walking along Baltimore Avenue in a brazen shooting in a popular restaurant district in Hyattsville, Maryland, Thursday night.
Just before 9:30 p.m., a man jumped out of a BMW SUV and fired several shots over several seconds in the Hyattsville Arts District, hitting an apartment building and three businesses but no people, police said. Bystanders scattered to avoid the gunfire.
Police said more than a dozen shots were fired. They are trying to determine whether more than one gun was used.
“I grew up in Hyattsville and I’ve never seen anything like this before,” acting Hyattsville Police Chief Scott Dunklee said. “For somebody to bring out a weapon like that and shoot with families around, it just doesn’t happen around here.”
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Police aren’t just looking for suspects. The gunman targeted a dark gray SUV, possibly a Toyota Highlander. Police are looking for that SUV, as well. It should have a missing driver’s side mirror that was damaged in the shooting.
“It’s a flood of emotion, not only because I’m the mayor of the city, but also live 200 yards from here and heard the shots last night,” Mayor Kevin Ward said.
