Sept. 30--STOCKTON -- Stockton Police are looking for a person who fired several rounds at uniformed police officers and civilian evidence technicians while they ironically were working a drive-by or walk-by shooting of a North Stockton home.
Police say five to ten rounds were heard zipping over their heads and into the trees. They say it was no accident or someone trying make noise.
"It was intended to be fired at these officers...fortunately it didn't hit those officers," said police spokesperson officer Pete Smith.
"It was a very brazen attack," Smith added.
Police say the original shooting was gang related but there is no evidence that second shooting incident involved the same shooter. The house was hit by shotgun rounds. One neighbor who heard the shots fired at officers ricochet off the pavement said it sounded like a .22 caliber gun.
Many neighbors would not go on camera with a shooter or shooters on the loose, but told Fox40 News that they were surprised that officers were targets of gunfire. Some expressed suspicion at anyone wearing a badge, saying they don't treat citizens right.
But police say neighbors were put in jeopardy.
"If they are shooting a police, what's going to stop them from taking any other action against any other person," said Smith.
There are many kids in the neighborhood, and homeowners go phone calls telling to remain inside. A SWAT team was not able to find the attacker.
One neighbor who did speak out is Phil Heinle, a 39-year-old resident of the neighborhood. He heard the attack on the house.
"Been getting a lot of gunfire (in the neighborhood), almost every night," said Heinle.
He got two phone calls from police warning him to stay inside. He does not feel the same toward police as some of his neighbors.
"We need more cops I guess but isn't that terrible? We need more and more cops to take care of things," said Heinle.
Smith said police officers have been shot at before and it's part of the job.
"Make no bones about it. We're still going to go out there and do the job we're supposed to be doing," said Smith.
Police are looking for tips as to who the attacker might be.
Copyright 2011 - KTXL-TV, Sacramento, Calif.
