Siler City struck by drive-by vandalism spree

Damage caused by pellet gun shooting

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SILER CITY — At least one vandal, armed with an air gun, shot nearly a dozen different storefronts and numerous car windows late Saturday night or Sunday morning, shattering windows and leaving at least 30 holes in windows of downtown businesses.

The vandalism spree stretched from West Raleigh Street through downtown Siler City to East Third, North Fifth, and South Sixth Avenues.

At least seven separate incident reports are believed to be connected, according to Det. Dean Johnson of the Siler City Police Department, who is leading the investigation in the case.

“It appears to be a pellet gun, but we haven’t found a BB or a pellet,” Johnson said. “The damage appears to be consistent with damage caused by those air-type projectiles. Depending on the type and how it’s powered determines the velocity of the projectile. These things can cause personal injury. I have met people who have been hurt severely by them.”

Authorities are “following up aggressively,” said Siler City interim Chief Jeanne Miller. “We are also working with the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office.”

West of town, Iglesia Misión Evangélica Pacto, an Hispanic church, and its neighbor, the Tienda La Jalisco convenience store, sustained damage to windows. Vehicles of several residents on East Third, North Fifth, and South Sixth Avenues also suffered window damages from shots.

Perhaps the most sustained damage was in downtown. On North Chatham Avenue, the vandals appeared to have fired shots all along storefronts on the western side of the street. Beginning with Turnberry Interior Design Group with two pellet holes all the way to the Old Farmers’ Market location with four pellet holes, at least 30 pellets were fired into downtown businesses.

Both of the Chatham Rabbit’s front windows were completely shattered. Owner Brooke Simmons had some volunteer help on Sunday to clean up the mess at the downtown coffee shop, placing plywood over the windows in order for the shop to open on Monday.

Siler City Police were patrolling on foot patrol Monday, assessing the damage to update reports and to have a police presence downtown.

If anyone has any information on the cases, please contact the Siler City Police Department at (919) 742-5626.

Siler City, Vandals, Pellet gun