Columbia police are still searching for suspects in a string of events that led officers to a house in northeast Columbia with illegal firearms, ammunition and narcotics inside.
It started around 1:13 p.m. Tuesday when the Columbia Police Department started receiving 911 calls about shots fired near Lawnridge Court, according to a CPD news release. Callers told police about a white SUV speeding through the area with a black male driver.
Police officers arrived four minutes later and searched for suspects and the white SUV. A Boone County Sheriff’s deputy ran after one of the suspects near Tubes Wheel Ranch mobile home park on Bonny Linn Drive.
Public Safety Joint Communications received calls from residents on the 2900 block of Lawnridge Court, who said they had bullet holes in their residences. Callers also reported that a white SUV, which had bullet holes in it, was located behind 3421 Bonny Lin Drive. Police were told someone ran from the SUV into the residence.
Around 2 p.m., a male came out of the house and was brought into the police department and questioned. He was later released.
“Investigators could not determine his involvement, if any, in the incident,” CPD spokeswoman Jill Schlude said. Schlude said she was unsure whether the man is cooperating with the investigation or not.
A K-9 unit was brought in and a perimeter was set up while the police attempted to get a search warrant for the house.
“This is a lengthy task, especially in an incident of this scale, of gathering information and speaking with officers and witnesses who can help establish probable cause with which to obtain a search warrant,” the release stated.
The SWAT team was called in because of the possibility of armed suspects inside the residence. Some members of the team were already working the scene, while others were called in.
The police got a signed search warrant and went through the building, but no one was inside. Inside, police found a gun, ammunition, high capacity magazines, firearm suppressors, marijuana, crack cocaine and ecstasy.
One of the magazines was a “drum” style magazine, and Schlude said the gun was stolen in a burglary from a home in northeast Columbia.
Schlude said motives have been discussed, but investigators are not able to release anything about that at this time.
The release stated investigators are trying to find out who lives at the residence and who owns the white SUV.
“Obviously any information we can get from the public would be extremely helpful as there is is a clear public safety risk when we have people shooting into houses and having access to illegal weapons such as these,” the release stated.
