By Eileen Oldfield, Staff Writer
No one was injured when a number of vehicles and houses were shot by gunfire over the weekend, and detectives from the Somerset County prosecutor’s office, the Hillsborough Police Department and the Manville Police Department are continuing to investigate the incidents.
The first reported incident is believed to have occurred Feb. 26 in Hillsborough with several reported Monday in Manville. Investigators could not say whether the shootings are connected, and Somerset County Prosecutor Wayne Forrest refused to say what kinds of weapons may have been involved.
”It’s an ongoing investigation so I can’t disclose anything publicly (regarding the shootings) just yet,” Mr. Forrest said. “It would jeopardize the investigation.”
The shootings involved damage to a residence and damage to several cars, but no humans reported as harmed during the incidents.
According to Prosecutor Forrest, Hillsborough police responded to a Downbury Court residence at approximately 10:35 a.m. Feb. 27 on a report of damage to a residence’s front door. The officers noticed a bullet had damaged the door, and the bullet was lodged in an inside wall of the residence.
The Somerset County prosecutor’s office and its Crime Scene Investigation Unit as well as Hillsborough Police Department detectives responded to the residence to conduct an investigation. The resident reported hearing a loud bang Friday evening, Prosecutor Forrest added.
Then, on Tuesday, Manville police responded to several calls between 6 and 7:15 a.m. regarding criminal mischief on various vehicles at several locations in the borough. While investigating the reports, officers discovered six vehicles, located on South 14th Avenue, Washington Avenue, South 15th Avenue, South 21 Avenue, North 13th Avenue and Dailey Place and a residence on South 21st Avenue had been shot by bullets.
The prosecutor’s office and its Crime Scene Investigation Unit as well as Manville Police Department detectives responded to the scene for further investigation, Prosecutor Forrest said.
Numerous interviews, conducted by the detectives, revealed various residents recalled hearing bangs similar to firecrackers the evening of March 1, but did not report the noises to the police.
The county’s forensics laboratory is testing the bullets, but Prosecutor Forrest could not comment on any findings because of the investigation.
Prosecutor Forrest, Hillsborough police Chief Paul Kaminsky and Manville police Chief Mark Peltack request anyone with information contact the Hillsborough Police Department at 908-369-4323, the Manville Police Department at 908-725-1900, the Somerset County prosecutor’s office Major Crimes Squad at 908-231-7100 or the Somerset County Crime Stoppers’ tip line at 1-888-577-8477 or online at www.88577tips.org, www.scpo.net. All calls are confidential.