Canton Township police are investigating whether a possible bullet hole discovered in a vehicle that came from the Ann Arbor area Saturday is related to three reports of vehicle shootings Monday in Washtenaw County.
Sgt. David Schreiner, of the Canton Township Department of Public Safety said a man driving from the Ann Arbor area to work near Michigan Avenue and Beck Road in Canton Township discovered a single bullet hole in the door of the vehicle Saturday. Schreiner said the incident was reported Saturday, and investigators are working with Washtenaw County investigators to see if the incidents are related.
“Ours was actually before the news broke on the other ones,” Schreiner said. “When we heard about the other ones, it heightened our attention.”
Pittsfield Township police released this photo of a bullet hole left in a woman's vehicle after it was shot Monday evening.
Courtesy of Pittsfield Township police
The Michigan State Police and Pittsfield Township Department of Public Safety the lead investigating agencies for the shootings in Washtenaw County. The Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office and Federal Bureau of Investigation are assisting.
Schreiner said what’s believed to be single bullet hole from an unknown caliber bullet was discovered in the door of the man’s vehicle. “We’re not sure when or where it happened,” he said.
The incident is still under investigation, Schreiner said.
The first shooting was reported on Austin Road east of Ernst Road. A 2005 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck driven west by a Manchester man was shot. The second shooting was reported a short time later on Austin Road west of Schneider Road. An Adrian woman was driving the 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix west on Austin Road when it was hit by a bullet.
The two shootings in Bridgewater Township occurred between 5:40 p.m. and 6 p.m., police said in a statement.
At 6:15 p.m., a 72-year-old Pittsfield Township woman reported a single bullet hole in the driver’s side door of her vehicle. Police said the vehicle was hit on Michigan Avenue near Industrial Drive.
The woman returned home before discovering the bullet hole and then reported the incident to police.
The distance between the intersection of Austin and Schneider and Michigan Avenue and Industrial is a little more than nine miles. The estimated drive time between the two intersections is 14 minutes.
No one was injured in the shootings, and police have not released any suspect information in the case.
Pittsfield Township Public Safety Director Matt Harshberger said he is aware of the Canton Township case and police are investigating any possible connection.
Anyone with information on the shootings is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK UP (773-2587).
Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.