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Innocent drivers caught in shooting at busy intersection
By
Nick Spinetto, WINK News
Story Created:
May 11, 2009 at 3:26 PM EST
Story Updated:
May 11, 2009 at 6:25 PM EST
LEHIGH ACRES, Fla. - A shooting out in the open at a busy intersection left more than just bullet holes behind. It also left one family scared for their safety.
"Man, that's too close. This ain't Iraq. This is Lehigh Acres. This ain't Iraq. This ain't Afghanistan," said Jeramy Hinton.
The shooting happened at the intersection of Daniels Parkway and State Road 82 in Lehigh Acres. Jeramy Hinton was driving through the intersection with his son when he heard gun fire and a thump on his head.
"I felt a repercussion and then foam or something hit me," he told WINK News.
The time was 9:30 Sunday night. Jeramy and his 5-year-old son were driving through the intersection when he heard a loud noise.
"I heard a motorcycle rev up. And then the next I know, my windows exploded and I heard a gun shot," he said.
The bullet went through his rear passenger window.
"This is upsetting. My kids are in the car," said Jeramy.
The bullet missed his son by a few feet. It missed Jeramy by a few inches. "The bullet went through the headrest, missing my own head by inches," he said.
Jeramy wasn't the only victim. Another driver, a woman, says she was driving through the intersection at the exact same time when she heard two bullets come crashing through her rear view window. Remarkably, no one was injured.
"This ain't the wild, wild, west out here," said Jeramy.
According to the Sheriff's report, the motorcycle Jeramy heard "rev up" was the real target.
Witnesses say a Toyota Camry was following the motorcycle and started shooting. Instead of hitting the bike, the bullets hit other cars.
"What are the odds, you know? Not like you're at a gas station and somebody walks in and wants to rob it," Jeramy said.
Though he's angry by what happened, Jeramy is glad things weren't worse.
"If I was a half mile slower it would have been a different story," he said.
After the shooting, both the Camry and the motorcyclist sped away.
The sheriff's office is asking anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS.