EVANS, Colo. – Police in Evans are warning that a suspected shooter is on the loose after four teenagers were shot at, leaving one in the hospital, following a drive-by shooting early Thursday evening.
Evans police were dispatched to the area of 41st Street and Belmont at around 6:30 p.m. on a report of a suspicious person. A resident who spoke to police said a teenage boy was in her yard saying he had been shot at, but not struck.
While on the scene, responding officers got a separate 911 dispatch call that a 15-year-old boy was being taken to an area hospital by private vehicle with a gunshot wound to the face, according to police.
The initial investigation revealed four teenage boys were walking in the area when an unknown vehicle drove past them, and a single gunshot was heard. One of the boys was struck, while the other three fled and were later found safe, according to police.
The boy who was shot in the face was flown to a Denver trauma center. His condition is unknown at this time.
The police department said just before 3:30 p.m. Friday the suspected shooter was still at large.
The shooting rattled the neighborhood. Rhonda Wiesner was in her kitchen when she heard a gunshot just outside of her home and saw smoke.
“Next thing I seen was three kids running, and then the cops had it all surrounded,” Wiesner said. “Pretty scary because, you know, you don't know if you're safe in your house anymore.”
Jesus Aguilare said his son was playing football with his friends about 50 yards from where the shooting happened. He said his son saw a dark car drive by and got scared.
“They were so scared they went to the backyard,”Aguilare said. “They said not even like five seconds later, they heard like two gunshots.”
Police reported only one gunshot, but Aguilare said he heard two gunshots on his neighbor’s surveillance camera.
The department says it is looking for a tan Nissan Centra with no front license plate and no front hubcaps as the suspect's vehicle.
"The EPD does not believe this was a random act," a department spokesperson said in an email.
Anyone with information on this incident is asked to contact Detective Brad Rodriguez at the Evans Police Department at (970) 339-2441.
