An unidentified 17-year-old was found wounded in the back seat of a vehicle in Opelika on Wednesday night, after witnesses say a dark-colored car pulled up alongside and opened fire before speeding off. Officers responded to the shooting report near South Long Street and Alabama Avenue at approximately 7:17 p.m., according to WTVM.
Teen Found With Gunshot Wound to the Leg
When officers arrived at the scene, they found the teenager in the back seat of the vehicle, suffering from a gunshot wound to the leg, as reported by WRBL. The teen was taken to Piedmont Columbus Regional Midtown for treatment, according to a separate report from WAKA.
Witnesses told investigators that a dark-colored passenger car drove past the vehicle and fired several shots before fleeing the area, per the same account from WAKA. The shooting triggered a heavy police presence and a road closure in the area that remained in effect until 9 p.m., WRBL reports.
Case Remains Open as Investigators Seek Tips
As of this report, the shooting case remains under investigation, and no suspect description, arrest or motive has been released. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Opelika Police Department Detective Division at (334) 705-5220 or the Secret Witness Hotline at (334) 745-8665, with tips also accepted anonymously through the Opelika Police Mobile App, the station notes.
The shooting comes just a day after Opelika police announced a separate arrest in an unrelated case. Benjamin Walker Herndon, 46, was charged with first-degree attempted assault and shooting into an occupied vehicle near Water Street, according to al.com. In that case, police said a round shattered the vehicle's rear windshield and struck the headrest directly above where a young child was secured in a car seat.
Echoes of a 2022 Shooting Involving a Teen Victim
Wednesday's shooting is not the first time a 17-year-old has been wounded in an Opelika shooting. In September 2022, a 17-year-old was shot and later transported to Piedmont Columbus Regional Hospital, where he was listed in critical condition, according to WRBL's earlier coverage. Two suspects in that case, 20-year-old Eric Stenson Jr. and a 16-year-old juvenile, were arrested in Columbus and were expected to be extradited back to Opelika to face attempted murder charges, the outlet reported at the time.
No such arrests have been announced in Wednesday's shooting, and the investigation into who opened fire on the vehicle near South Long Street and Alabama Avenue continues.
