Pawtucket police spent Thursday night investigating after shots were fired into a vehicle on Notre Dame Avenue, with officers responding to the area around 7:45 p.m. No injuries were reported, and the investigation remains active.
According to WJAR, Pawtucket police responded to Notre Dame Avenue that evening after reports that shots had been fired into a vehicle. Police reported that no one was hurt, and the station notes the case remained under investigation.
A separate report from the same station described a heavy police presence in the area at a different time, though the reason for that response had not been confirmed. Police were called to the area before 8 p.m. Thursday, and an NBC 10 photographer observed activity near Princeton and Cornell avenues, behind the apartment complex, and at the intersection of Notre Dame and Princeton avenues, the outlet reported. Officers blocked off part of Notre Dame Avenue around 8:30 p.m., and at that point the reason for the response had not yet been confirmed, the station said.
A Neighborhood With Recent Gunfire
Thursday's incident is not the first time gunshots have rattled the area. A resident told the same outlet she had witnessed another shooting in the neighborhood two years earlier, describing a night when, in her words, “they fired 12 shots into the house next door.” That account has not been independently verified beyond her recollection.
Pawtucket has seen a string of other shootings this year that illustrate the broader challenge investigators face in the city. In July, gunfire struck a home on Ferris Street early one Monday morning; no one was injured, and investigators said the case remained under investigation with no information released about potential suspects, the station reported. A neighbor shared photos of the gunshot damage at the building at 51 Ferris St., according to the outlet.
Other Cases Show How Investigations Can Move Fast
Other recent Pawtucket shootings have been resolved quickly with the help of technology. In one case, police said nine shots were fired into an apartment and the surrounding area on Prospect Street late on a Tuesday night, according to WPRI. One of the bullets entered a child’s bedroom and struck the headboard while residents were home, though no one was injured, police said.
Jose Lugo Jr., 20, and Skyla Vaillant, 21, were arrested during a traffic stop the next morning in connection with that shooting, WPRI reported. Both were charged with felony assault, firing in a compact area, and conspiracy. Police said Flock Safety license plate reader technology and surveillance footage “played a significant role” in identifying a vehicle of interest and locating the suspects “within a matter of hours,” and added that additional charges may be filed as the investigation continues.
No suspect description or motive has been released for Thursday's shooting on Notre Dame Avenue, and it is not established whether the incident is connected to any of the other recent Pawtucket cases. Police have not said how many shots were fired or what damage the vehicle sustained. The investigation remains ongoing.
