Windows of 3 cars shot out on 91 Freeway in Corona; similar incidents investigated
The windows of three cars were shot out on the 91 Freeway in Corona overnight and into the early morning Wednesday, the latest in a string of dozens of similar incidents, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Shortly after 11 p.m., the window of a car heading eastbound was hit.
Several hours later, starting around 5 a.m., two cars heading westbound sustained window damage.
The CHP is now investigating roughly 50 shooting incidents that began in late April and have targeted cars traveling on the freeway in Riverside, Orange and Los Angeles counties.
On Tuesday morning, there were at least two reports — including one in the Riverside area and another in Anaheim.
Projectiles have shattered the windows of more than a dozen cars along the 91 Freeway, and authorities believe the shootings may be related.
Authorities believe the windows are being shot out by small caliber-type weapons, such as BB or pellet guns. No injuries have been reported in the incidents.
No suspect has been identified in connection with the shootings.
It’s not clear where the shots are originating, CHP officer Dan Olivas said. Investigators are considering whether they were fired from a passing vehicle, but they could also have come from elsewhere.
“We haven’t narrowed it down to anything specifically,” Olivas said. “Everything is kind of open at this point, as to where it could possibly be coming from.”
To protect the investigation, the CHP is now limiting some information from being released to the public, such as the exact location of some incidents, according to Olivas.
In the Inland Empire, the incidents are taking place between the Orange County line and the Riverside city line, he said.
According to Olivas, a rumor is circulating that white cars are being targeted, which so far has not been substantiated by evidence.
As far as the types of vehicles that have been hit, “there hasn’t been any sort of connection,” Olivas said.
He added, “One of the things that I am not sure if people realize is the majority of vehicles on the road are white.”
The car hit Tuesday night was not white. The reports involving the two other cars did not list their color, he said.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
