Police probe weekend shootings

The Porterville Police Department is investigating at least two separate weekend shootings, one of which led to a young man being sent to the hospital.

As of Monday, it was not known if the shootings were gang-related, Sgt. Duanne Griffin said.

The first of the shootings occurred sometime before 12:30 a.m. Sunday.

Officers responded to Sierra View District Hospital in regard to a boy who had been shot.

When they got to the hospital, officers found that the victim had suffered wounds to his hand and abdomen, Griffin said.

It was unclear if more than one bullet cause the victimÂ’s wounds, Griffin said.

Officers were told that sometime before the victim went to the hospital, he had been standing on his front porch at a residence in the sub-100 block of South Villa Street when shots were fired from an unknown direction, Griffin said.

Witnesses reportedly corroborated the victimÂ’s statements.

Detectives were called in to investigate the incident, Griffin said.

In the other incident, occupants escaped injury after shots were fired at a residence later Sunday evening.

At about 9:30 p.m. Sunday, officers were alerted to a shooting at a home in the 500 block of North Gary Street.

Residents reported that an unknown vehicle had driven past the house and unidentified occupants fired eight shots, Griffin said.

Four shots hit the house.

Griffin said officers found eight .22-caliber casings on the road.

There were no suspects as of Monday and the case has since been handed over to the detectives division.

Investigations into both of SundayÂ’s shootings were still under way Monday, Griffin said, and no suspects had been identified.

Anyone with information on either of the shootings should call the Porterville Police Department at 782-7400.