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Stray bullet strikes minivan near busy commercial hub
Newnan police have launched an active investigation after a local woman’s minivan was struck by a bullet as she was driving away from the city’s primary retail shopping corridor.
NEWNAN, Ga. - Newnan police are investigating a terrifying incident after a Coweta County woman's minivan was struck by a bullet during her lunch hour. The driver was traveling along a busy roadway behind a popular retail hub when the shooting occurred, leaving her deeply shaken.
"All of a sudden, there was a gunshot"
The backstory:
The incident unfolded on July 1st around 1:50 p.m. as a local woman, identified only as Kelly, was driving back to work. Kelly asked reporters not to show her face or use her last name out of fear and anxiety following the encounter.
While driving down Ashley Parkway—a roadway that runs directly behind the busy Ashley Park retail area—she heard a sudden, loud noise. It wasn't until much later that she realized she had survived a near-miss with a bullet.
A matter of inches from tragedy
What they're saying:
About an hour and a half after the initial sound, Kelly was driving home from her office with a coworker following closely behind her. The coworker began calling Kelly's phone repeatedly.
When Kelly finally answered, her coworker delivered the shocking news: there was a bullet hole in the back of her Honda Odyssey.
"I was like, 'You’ve got to be kidding me,'" Kelly recalled.
According to investigators, the bullet pierced directly through the vehicle's rear lift gate and ricocheted off a bucket stored in the back of the van. It then landed flat on the floorboard right next to a passenger seat.
Kelly noted that if the trajectory of the bullet had been just a few inches higher, it would have shattered the rear glass and likely struck her or a passenger.
"Why are we doing this?" Kelly said, issuing a plea to whoever fired the weapon. "Have better concern for people around you. This is not a game."
Police searching for information
What's next:
Newnan police officers noted that they do not frequently receive reports of moving vehicles being struck by gunfire in this area, making the incident particularly serious.
Authorities are asking anyone who may have been near Ashley Parkway on July 1st around 1:50 p.m. and saw suspicious activity to contact the Newnan Police Department immediately.
The Source: This story is based on a live report from Doug Evans during FOX 5 News at 5 p.m.