Police investigate Elyria shooting

ELYRIA — Four houses were struck but no one was hurt after a drive-by shooting on Georgetown Avenue. Elyria Police Capt. Chris Costantino said two men were driving in a black Chevrolet Impala on the 500 block of Georgetown Avenue when one of them fired shots. He said the report initially came in for a black car with four individuals. A car matching that description was found by officers near the intersection of Cleveland Street and Artemas Court, and two juveniles, 16 and 17 years old, both from Lorain, were arrested. The 17-year old was charged with four counts of improper discharge of a firearm, a second-degree felony; discharge of a firearm on or near prohibited premises and tampering with evidence, each third-degree felonies, and carrying a concealed weapon and improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle, each fourth-degree felonies. The 16-year-old was charged with complicity to those charges. Both are currently at the county juvenile detention center awaiting initial court appearances. Costantino said it is believed that the two teens arrested are the only suspects involved. "The officers did an outstanding job here," Costantino said. "This is a dangerous situation, and they were to conclude it without any harm to themselves or anyone else." Costantino said the suspects' car had a bullet hole above its back left tire, but it's unknown if it is related. It also had temporary tags. Police are still investigating whether the shooter was targeting anything, or if it was random gunplay. "Our goal is to try and find out what their intentions were," he said. One of the homes hit belonged to Anita Walter. She said she came home and saw sawdust on her floor, and heard sirens soon after. "Not a way you want to start your evening," Walter. Walter said there are nine holes in her home from two bullets that ricocheted. A shot went through each side of her front window, and eventually left holes in her family room, dining room and kitchen, luckily missing her TV and her brand-new back window. She said she believed she came home 10 minutes after it happened. Living there since the mid-1980s, Walter said it was the first time this has happened. "First drive-by shooting," she said. The shooting was right across from Sherwood Forest Apartments, and down the street from North Park Ice Arena. Elyria Parks and Recreation canceled all events for Tuesday evening. Contact Sean McDonnell at (440) 329-7148 or smcdonnell@chroniclet.com. Follow him on Twitter @SeanMcDonnellCT.