Pattern Of Shootings Continues in East Rome Over The Weekend

Shots were fired into two East Rome homes over the weekend as police continue to investigate a consistently high number of firearms stolen from, mostly, unlocked vehicles.

Rome police were called early Sunday morning to a home on East 15th Street on reports that several shots were fired into the house. When police arrived they found a blue sedan with multiple bullet holes and several bullet holes in the home.

Multiple 9mm and .45 caliber shell casings were found in the street in front of the home.

Meanwhile, down the block, police found a silver minivan crashed into a utility pole with the engine running, all windows down and the rear hatch open. The responding officer turned off the engine and noticed live ammunition inside the vehicle as well as spent shell casings similar to the ones found in front of the residence. There was also a bullet hole through the roof of the van.

Witnesses stated they heard the crash but did not see who was driving or any occupants.

On Saturday morning, over 30 shots were fired in front of a home on Ninth Street near Darlington Way. Eight bullets struck the home — damaging the area near the front door and a bedroom window. Police found 15 5.56-caliber shell casings and 21 9mm shell casings in the street.

“We do know that many of these shooting incidents are caused by how many stolen guns are on the street and in the hands of juveniles,” said Rome Police Department Capt. Rusty Blair. “They are often kept by an individual for a week or so, and then traded to someone else for video games.”

According to an analysis of Federal Bureau of Investigation data, Everytown for Gun Safety reported that most stolen firearms are taken from vehicles. The report indicates that a gun is stolen from a car every 15 minutes and many thefts occur while vehicles are parked in front of a residence.

In Rome, 19 firearms have been reported stolen so far this year.

“Please lock your car doors,” RPD spokesman Kelly Madden said.

Despite the increase, Blair said the new shooting reports don’t represent a statistically significant rise.

“We usually see a spike in incidents during spring break,” Blair said. “The parents usually work and you have a large amount of kids home unsupervised and getting into trouble... But sometimes these things can be cyclical, and maybe we’re on a bit of an upcycle.”

According to the RPD, there have been 24 reports of shots fired in Rome since the beginning of the year: five in West Rome, three in South Rome, eight in East Rome and six in North Rome.

Below is a list of shootings reported in the Rome News-Tribune since March:

♦ April 18, 500 block of East 13th Street — Report of shots being fired, dog shot in paw, no arrests.

♦ April 15, Camp near Copeland Street — Shots fired into car during altercation. No injuries, one suspect identified.

♦ April 9, 200 block of Church Street — Shots fired into house, window in front bedroom struck, large TV shot. Resident stated it might be related to altercation from jail. No arrests.

♦ April 6, 100 block of Wilson Avenue — Woman shot three times, twice in torso and once in hand. Shooter described as a Black “light-skinned male wearing a black doo rag” and the car was driven by a White female, car was a black, Nissan Sentra.

♦ April 5, East 10th Street — Shots fired into bedroom of 13-year-old boy, four bullet holes beneath window, four casings found. No arrests.

March 17, 200 block of Branham Avenue — Two shots fired into home on Branham Avenue, juveniles inside. No arrests.