Police Catch Teens in Drive-By BB Gun Shooting

On June 26, a 46-year-old woman who lives at the 5400 block of Young Road said someone had shot a BB gun at her car parked in the street and her neighbors saw what happened around 11:30 p.m.

There was a dent in the side body panel of the vehicle, indicating it had been shot from the direction of the street, said police. The estimated damage to the car was unknown. 

Witnesses in the area told police they recognized the two teen males.

"They followed the vehicle and recognized [the two youths.] They followed the vehicle to the … residence and then called police. The [vehicle] was gone upon police arrival," according to a narration in a Stow Youth Service report. 

said they made contact with the teens suspected of shooting a BB gun out of a car. They originally denied any involvement, according to the report.

After further investigation, police said the suspects had been driving around and firing a BB gun out the window of a car.

Once contacted again, the suspects, 16- and 15-year-old men, told police they were aiming at signs and mailboxes, according to the report. They denied intentionally shooting at any vehicles, officers said.

"[The teen driver] admitted to having the BB gun ... stating he was transporting it to his aunt’s in Kent, but denied firing it. At our request [the teen driver] returned to his residence with the other boy and the BB gun. They were separated and questioned," according to an officer. "Both were initially deceptive. After questioning them on discrepancies in their stories, one teen admitted to firing the BB gun from the vehicle a total of four to five times. [The teen] maintained that he saw his friend holding the BB gun but denied having any knowledge of him firing it from the vehicle. The [teen shooter] said he had been shooting street signs and mailboxes in the Norton Road area. He only fired one shot on Young Road and said he was aiming for a mailbox. He denied intentionally striking any vehicles and if a car was hit it was because he missed the mailbox."

Police said when they transported the BB gun shooter home, he pointed out the mailbox he was aiming at and it was adjacent to the victim's driveway. 

Criminal damaging is a second-degree misdemeanor and possession/discharging an air rifle is a fourth-degree misdemeanor, in this situation.

The case is being handled by Stow Youth Services.