West Utica Neighborhood Awakens To Early Morning Gunfire

It seems to be almost a daily occurrence in the City of Utica.

Utica Police are looking for the person responsible for the latest shots fired incident, this one coming from the city's West Side, on Walnut Street.

Officers were called to 1200 block of Walnut Street at around 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday morning and found four-spent shell casings from .45 caliber weapon, police said. As of this posting, police were still working to determine if anyone had been injured.

Police were able to gather a somewhat of a suspect description, a younger black male wearing a white sweatshirt with jeans. The young man was last seen traveling south on City Street and may have been in a blue colored sports car, according to a news release from UPD.

This is the most recent incident a series shots fired or or shooting investigations police have been busy handling. A man who told officers he was simply walking down the street in the early morning hours last Friday was shot in the leg by someone he did not know.

Other shots fired calls in recent days:

• Friday afternoon, March 18, shortly after 2:00 p.m. on the 600 block of Nichols St.
• Friday night, March 18, at approximately 11:40 p.m. on Oneida St.
• Saturday, March 19, early morning hours near 1403 Bleecker St.
• Saturday night, March 19, approximately 11:40 p.m. 1000 block of Lansing St.

Utica Police have not said if any or none of these incidents are related as they try to identify suspects. Anyone with information on any of these cases is asked to contact Utica Police at 315-223-3556, or submit an completely anonymous tip online through Mohawk Valley Crime Stoppers at www.mohawkvalleycrimestoppers.com, by calling 1-866-730-8477 (TIPS), or by using the P3 Tips mobile app.