Elkhart police investigating shooting on Hudson Street
ELKHART, Ind. -- Police are searching for a suspect after a midday shooting right in the middle of Elkhart.
The shooting happened near the corner of Hudson and Bridge Streets.
Elkhart General Hospital, which is right in the area, was placed on lockdown as police investigated the crime scene.
Elkhart police say it was an isolated incident, and that neighbors living in the area shouldn’t be worried, even though an arrest hasn’t been made.
“I was on my porch and all of a sudden I hear gun shots, the clip had to be emptied,” said a woman who agreed to speak to ABC 57 News, but did not want to be identified.
She, like the majority of neighbors, are afraid to talk about the shooting that happened Friday morning.
The shooting happened just after 10:30 a.m.
The woman says she heard at least 7 or 8 gunshots.
Elkhart Police say a man suffered a gunshot wound to the leg and was transported to Elkhart General Hospital.
The woman that witnessed the incident says she was scared.
“That’s all I seen, was blood everywhere,” she said.
Neighbors in the area say the bloody victim, who was shot in the leg, hid behind two vehicles before crossing the street to hide behind some bushes before help arrived.
The house on the corner of Bridge and Hudson Streets looked like it had been sprayed with gunfire.
ABC 57 News watched as police tried to recover bullets from the outer wall of the home.
Other neighbors that spoke off camera say they saw an officer retrieve a large rifle from the bushes.
They believe the rifle belonged to the victim, as he was found nearby.
Now, neighbors are asking police to protect them.
“We just need safety around here in Elkhart. I hate to say it, but I guess we need a cop sitting somewhere around through here,” said the woman wishing to remain unidentified. “Because my kids are not safe. None of the kids around the block are safe.”
Neighbors claim shootings in the area have been on the rise in the last few months.
The victim is expected to survive.