Police found blood inside the car after gunfire erupted on Bleecker Street.
UTICA, N.Y. – Two teenagers were wounded after someone opened fire on a vehicle along Bleecker Street early Tuesday, setting off an investigation that led Utica Police to a blood-covered passenger compartment and eventually to the two injured victims.
Officers were dispatched to the 900 block of Bleecker Street at about 12:15 a.m. after a ShotSpotter alert detected multiple rounds of gunfire, according to the City of Utica Police Department. No victims were initially found at the scene, but investigators learned that a vehicle had fled and obtained its license plate number.
Police later found that vehicle several blocks away on Arthur Street. Officers said they noticed a significant amount of blood inside and learned that two people who had been riding in the vehicle had been struck by gunfire.
Key Points
- A 15-year-old boy suffered a gunshot wound to his bicep and was taken to Wynn Hospital.
- An 18-year-old man suffered a graze wound to his knee, according to police.
- Utica Police Major Crimes investigators are working to determine who opened fire on the vehicle.
Police Find Blood Inside Car After Bleecker Street Gunfire
The shooting began with a ShotSpotter alert in the 900 block of Bleecker Street, but responding officers did not immediately locate a victim or suspect.
Investigators instead learned that a vehicle had left the area after the shots were fired. Once officers obtained its license plate information, police began looking for the car.
It was eventually located in the 600 block of Arthur Street.
While speaking with the driver, officers spotted what police described as a “significant amount of blood” inside the passenger compartment.
Investigators were then told that two people who had been inside the vehicle had been hit by gunfire but were no longer in the car. Police determined the vehicle and its occupants had been fired upon at the original Bleecker Street scene.
Officers subsequently identified both injured people and located them elsewhere, according to the department.
One victim, an 18-year-old man, suffered a graze wound to his knee. The second victim, a 15-year-old boy, had been shot in the bicep.
The younger victim was transported to Wynn Hospital by the Utica Fire Department. Police did not provide additional information about his condition.
Major Crimes Unit Takes Over Utica Shooting Investigation
The Utica Police Department Major Crimes Unit is handling the investigation. Police had not announced an arrest or publicly identified a suspect as of Tuesday afternoon.
The department also did not disclose a possible motive or say whether investigators believe the vehicle or its occupants were specifically targeted.
The shooting comes as Utica investigators continue handling other recent gunfire cases involving teenagers. Earlier this month, Shore News Network reported that a 15-year-old was charged after two separate shots-fired incidents detected by ShotSpotter.
In another September case, police said a loaded .40-caliber handgun was recovered from a 14-year-old following an armed e-bike robbery investigation. Investigators said at the time they were examining whether that weapon could be connected to other shots-fired incidents.
Police have not said the Bleecker Street shooting is connected to either previous case.
Anyone with information about Tuesday’s shooting can contact the Utica Police Major Crimes Unit at 315-223-3556. Anonymous information can also be submitted through Mohawk Valley Crime Stoppers at 1-866-730-8477 or through the P3 Tips app.
