The Elgin neighborhood on East Alamo Street has become the repeated target of drive-by shootings this July. Residents have experienced multiple instances of gunfire, with reports of vehicles and homes being struck by bullets. According to CBS Austin, police have recorded at least three separate shootings on the 8th and 24th of July, with no arrests made to date.
In a display of the tension gripping the community, an anonymous East Alamo resident recounted to CBS Austin the terror of not knowing if "a bullet was gonna come through my window." Sergeant Nicole Brimhall of the Elgin Police Department confirmed that various vehicles and homes were struck in the incidents. Residents are expressing their unease, with one resident telling CBS Austin, "I want out but unfortunately we don't really have much of a choice because we spent our entire savings moving here, so we're kinda just stuck."
Marked-out bullet casings have been counted in the dozens following the shootings. As reported by FOX 7 Austin, neighborhood resident Ricky Nolan described the aftermath of one drive-by, saying officers "had 20 of those stakes they had marked out." Details like a bullet fragment found in a house and bullet holes in homes and vehicles provided tangible proof of the violence.
Amid the chaos, residents' primary concern is safety. A member of the community, using the pseudonym Raven for a FOX 7 Austin interview, voiced fear of retaliation and concern for the safety of their children. "Because of the location in which the crime has occurred, we do believe they are possibly related," Sgt. Nicole Brimhall stated, linking the shootings. Nolan added, "I don't know who's doing it or whatever, but it needs to be stopped before somebody gets hurt."
The unsolved nature of these crimes adds to the atmosphere of fear. Elgin Police are actively seeking information to identify the suspects involved in these shootings. They urge anyone with information related to these cases to reach out to Det. Panzino at 512-285-6812 or 737-226-1691.
