Two shot on RR tracks

Chico police are seeking three suspects in a possibly gang-related shooting that occurred near the railroad tracks at North Cedar Street and West First Avenue Monday evening. The two victims, a man and a woman, were both shot in the legs after they approached three men who were standing near the tracks, according to police Sgt. Dave Barrow.

“They say … they recognized these three individuals who were standing on the corner,” Barrow said. “As they approached, they saw one of them draw a handgun, so they started running and shots were fired—depending on who you talk to, anywhere from three to six shots.”

The two victims made it back to their car, where an associate had been waiting. After driving to a nearby residence, the victims called police, and an ambulance took them to Enloe Medical Center. Both were still in the hospital as of Tuesday afternoon.

Barrow said there are indications that one of the victims has gang affiliations, making it seem likely the shooting was gang-related. The descriptions given of the alleged assailants were vague and somewhat contradictory.

“As is typical in a gang-related shooting, I don’t feel we’re getting total cooperation from the victims,” Barrow said.

After the shooting, which Barrow said happened at about 7:30 p.m., police cordoned off the area and made a search, interviewing possible witnesses at the scene. While some nearby residents and passersby said they heard the shots, a complete description of the three suspects is still lacking, other than that the men were all wearing dark clothing. The suspects apparently fed the scene on foot.

One stray bullet shattered the window of an apartment on Rancheria Drive. Although a resident was home at the time, nobody was injured.

Barrow said there have been similar problems in the area in the past but hesitated to say crime was worsening there. As is always the case in incidents thought to involve gangs, police are keeping a close eye on the situation, hoping to head off any possible reprisals.

"Any time you have a gang-related shooting, you’re always worried about the next one," Barrow said.