GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Authorities say three people were injured in three separate shootings in Grand Rapids.
The Grand Rapids Police Department said the first shooting happened around 11:45 p.m. Sunday on Buchanan Avenue SW near the intersection of Griggs Street SW.
A man was shot and several bullets struck a house in the drive-by shooting. The victim was taken to the hospital with injuries that GRPD said are not considered to be life-threatening.
The second shooting happened shortly before midnight on Lexington Avenue NW near the intersection of California Street NW.
A woman was shot and taken to the hospital with injuries that are not considered to be life-threatening, according to GRPD.
The third shooting happened at 12:45 a.m. Monday near the BP gas station at the intersection of Eastern Avenue SE and M.L.K. Jr. Street SE.
A man was struck in the leg in the drive-by shooting and taken to the hospital with injuries that are not considered life-threatening. Investigators believe he was not the intended target.
Police are investigating a fourth shooting that happened around 9:45 p.m. Sunday on Oak Park Drive SE. No one was injured but a glass door was struck by bullets. People were inside the home at the time.
CHIEF: SHOOTINGS STEM FROM MINOR DISPUTES
GRPD said the shootings are not believed to be related. No arrests had been announced as of Monday afternoon.
“This weekend was a difficult one. We had four shot in the same incident downtown…” GRPD Chief Eric Winstrom said, referring to the shooting near Grand Woods Lounge early Sunday. “Last night, we had three shot.”
“…Each one seems to have a different motivation,” he added, noting one may have been domestic in nature.
But, he said, there have been some similarities:
“It seems like what we’ve been seeing more and more is that the motive for these shootings is something you and I would be absolutely shocked at,” he told News 8. “It’s a Facebook dispute or somebody brushes by someone on the street and it’s an insult. There’s nothing that really makes sense, so it’s difficult to piece that together.”
He also said such shootings are difficult to prevent.
“We’re doing what we can. We’re taking enforcement action. We’re investigating and bringing people to justice,” he said.
Anyone with information about any of the shootings is asked to call GRPD at 616.456.3400 or Silent Observer at 616.774.2345.
There have been calls from the downtown business community for GRPD to increase its presence in response to violence. The chief said while the department is doing its best to meet those needs, staffing is a problem. He said the department is down more than 30 officers and the shooting of Patrick Lyoya by former Officer Chris Schurr has made recruitment even more challenging. He said two recruits dropped out of training immediately after Schurr was charged with second-degree murder.
