Residents feel unsafe as violence surges in neighborhood

Police in Lancaster are piecing together two shootings that happened within a mile and 24 hours of each other. Investigators are trying to figure out if they are connected.

“It was so many gunshots,” said a neighbor who didn’t want to be identified. “It was like 10 guns at one time.”

“My dog goes out and shots start going off like a war was going on,” she said.

Dog killed in Lancaster shootout; police looking for 18-year-old suspect

The gunfire carried on for 10 minutes and when it stopped, her dog was dead.

“He was my child’s best friend,” she said.

Some of the rounds traveled through her trash can and house.

Dozens of shell casings were scattered throughout the neighborhood Sunday night near Harris Street.

Less than one mile away and 24 hours later, police said an 18-year-old was shot in a car on Saint Paul Street near Witherspoon.

He was found with serious injuries in a nearby field and flown to a hospital.

“I don’t want to hear of someone losing a loved one through stupidity,” said resident Latreatha Carmichael.

Carmichael, 76, wants to see police up their patrols to protect the public.

“I’m begging them to do something, not asking, I’m begging them, do something about this, secure this neighborhood, because there are families here with children,” Carmichael said.

The police chief said patrols have increased since a shooting that happened earlier in the year.

Police are working on a special assignment detail for the area, the chief said.

They are also searching for Quantrel “Kemo” Barrino, 18, who has warrants for felony breach of peace related to Sunday’s shooting.

Officers are still searching for others who may have been involved with Sunday and Monday’s shootings.

Call the Lancaster Police Department at 803-283-3313 if you have information.