Gun shots erupted at a family home nestled north of Newberry on Monday night, leaving a man and woman injured but the children unharmed.
The victims initially called the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office at about 10:30 p.m. to report suspicious people near their home, located at 3707 NW County Road 235.
But as Alachua deputies made their way to the victim’s house, they received another call within 10 minutes to report that two people had since been shot.
It is not clear at this time whether more than one person was involved in the shooting.
When deputies arrived at the scene, the shooter or shooters had fled.
Law enforcement were able to provide security for the injured man and woman and the two children, allowing them to leave the house safely.
Emergency Medical Services transported both injured adults to a nearby hospital, according to Alachua County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Sgt. Becky Butscher.
The children — both girls, ages 10 and 7 — remained unharmed.
After the family was evacuated from the house, Butscher said deputies conducted a thorough search of the area but were unable to locate anyone or find any additional evidence.
Bullet holes littered the front of the house, fired from multiple locations. They shattered glass windows and splintered wood paneling.
A sheriff’s office news release said that the bullet holes patterns are consistent with the residents’ efforts to move around and shield the children.
A couch one of the girls was resting on was shot multiple times, according to the release.
On Tuesday afternoon, the house was empty. Two cars sat in the driveway about 50 meters back from County Road.
A small red tractor stood still in the grass. Near the front porch, a light pink cloth draped unevenly over a foldable pink child’s chair and a taller lawn chair, hoisting up a makeshift fort.
The garage light was left on.
Anne L. Hair, who lives down the road from the victim’s house, said she didn’t know the family or hear the gunshots but was surprised it happened in her neighborhood.
“Not around here,” Hair said, lighting up a cigarette as she sat on her metal lawn chair.
It was not clear why the family was targeted, Butscher said. The shooter or shooters are still at large.
Detectives ask that anyone with any information regarding the shooting should contact Detective Brett Rhodenizer or send in info anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 352-372-7867. The Alachua County Gun Bounty Program is offering a potential $1,000 reward.
[A version of this story ran on page 1 on 9/3/2014 under the headline "Two people injured after shooting near Newberry"]
