Police continue to investigate shooting
To help
Anyone with information regarding the Thursday-night shooting on Ravine Street in Janesville can call Janesville Area CrimeStoppers at (608) 756-3636.
Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.
JANESVILLE — Five bullet holes in two houses and a parked vehicle are the remnants of a Thursday-night shooting that Janesville police continue to investigate today in the Look West Neighborhood.
Police responded to the area of Ravine and Terrace streets for a report of gunshots at 9:39 p.m. Several residents in the area called saying they heard about six gunshots and several subjects running from the area, according to a department press release.
Officers and investigators found two bullet holes in an occupied house in the 1100 block of Ravine Street, two more bullets holes in a vacant house and another bullet hole in a parked vehicle in the 1200 block of Ravine Street, according to the press release.
Police said they don't think the houses or the car were targets.
"They (shooters) don't aim. Most times they just point and shoot," Sgt. Craig Klementz said. "It doesn't mean they're going to hit what they're aiming at. Most of the time, bullets end up going at not their intended target."
Nobody was hurt, Klementz said.
Lt. Tim Hiers of the detective bureau said police have indications that two groups of people were standing in yards or in the street at either end of the 1100 block of Ravine Street when shots were fired from at least one of the groups.
Police recovered bullet fragments but have not found a firearm and have not yet identified the type of firearm, Hiers said.
Police speculate the incident might have been drug-related because of an arrest of a person for marijuana possession. The person was arrested after the shooting when police stopped a vehicle a few blocks away in the 400 block of North Pearl Street, Hiers said.
People in the vehicle might have been involved in the incident, Hiers said.
It was not immediately known if the incident was gang-related, Hiers said.
Officer Glen Hageman and his police dog, Karo, were on the scene. Hiers said they were probably involved in the search for people who ran through backyards.
Hiers said police have interviewed people they suspect of being involved but received no cooperation. The investigation also turned up individuals with probation violations, Hiers said. Others were questioned and released.
The neighborhood was quiet this morning. The only sign of an incident was yellow police tape attached to a fence and trees alongside a house at 1120 Ravine St. No one answered the door at that address.
A neighbor said his family was watching a movie with their son when they heard shots.
"I thought I heard fireworks, but the sequence wasn't right," the man said.
Their son looked out the window in time to see a vehicle speeding away, he said.
The couple seemed surprised. They said nothing like it had happened in the three years they had lived there.
"Shots fired" is not a routine call for Janesville police, but it is the second such call this year, Hiers said.
"So we're hoping, obviously, that it's not a sign of things to come," Hiers added.
Mar 24, 2009 at 9:28 a.m.
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people these days? wats going on??
Mar 23, 2009 at 7:48 p.m.
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momof5--A dog is truly a man's best friend.
If you don't believe it, just try this experiment.
Put your dog and your wife in the trunk of the car for an hour.
When you open the trunk, who is really happy to see you????????
Mar 23, 2009 at 3:20 p.m.
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momof5 you have a good sense of humor i like that .
Mar 22, 2009 at 11:42 p.m.
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Failing to provide info is not obstruction. Providing false info is. I have an Associates and Bachelors in Criminal Justice oh and have been an officer in J-ville and AZ for 13 years. Besides, the DA won't charge.
Mar 22, 2009 at 2:54 p.m.
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jja: A real woman would never shoot herself in the foot. Why? Would ruin her shoes. Can't have that, for sure!
Mar 21, 2009 at 7:34 p.m.
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momof5 it can't be Cowboy Jill. because women can't handle guns ,they shoot themselves in the foot and we can't have that now can we...
bet i catch hell over this comment.
Mar 21, 2009 at 7:21 p.m.
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Maybe the shooter was someone looking for Cowboy Jack. Maybe it was Cowboy Jill.
Coming next week to CSI: Janesville....
Mar 21, 2009 at 4:06 p.m.
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janesvillecomments i always carry a 9 iron or a driver what ever is handy.
Mar 21, 2009 at 1:58 a.m.
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jja,
I don't want "cowboy jack" running around either. I don't want someone with a gun going around looking to fight crime. What I want are citizens trained in the proper use of a handgun so that they will be able to defend themselves if they are attacked. 99% of the time police arrive post victimaztion. There will be less deaths if people are allowed to defend themselves rather than waiting for the police to arrive.
Mar 21, 2009 at 1:37 a.m.
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How do Illinois residents stand it with all those Iowa, Missouri, Kentucky and Indiana cowboy jacks teeming at the Western and Eastern borders...? Oh yeah, they come "shooting" up the Interstate to Wisconsin.
Mar 21, 2009 at 1:01 a.m.
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Thank God Governor Doyle vetoed the concealed carry permit law .
we don't need cowboy jack running around with guns.
Mar 21, 2009 at 12:40 a.m.
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jja,
Yeah...Thank God we have 104 omniscient police officers to protect 62,000+ residents. They know exactly when and where criminals will strike. Oh wait, they are neither omniscient nor omnipresent. I'd rather have the ability to protect myself rather than rely on the off chance that a police officer would be around when a shooting takes place. It's time to approve a concealed carry law.
Mar 21, 2009 at 12:33 a.m.
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jja, don't tell me you're yet another local resident displaced by all those Minnesota refugees fleeing the concealed carry law in their home state? Most puppies learn from their mistakes if their noses are rubbed in them often enough.
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Please note you're down to WI and IL - the only 2 states left in the US with NO provision for law-abiding citizens to carry concealed weapons. I suppose when either Illinois or Wisconsin gets a concealed carry law passed and signed, you'll live in the remaining state and wail and bemoan any attempt to get a permit there, citing the non-existent legions of victims and rivers of blood caused by the concealed carry laws in the other 49 states.
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Another web site reminded me today of one of Paul Harvey's quotes: "They have gun control in Cuba. They have universal health care in Cuba. So why do they want to come here?"
Mar 20, 2009 at 7:11 p.m.
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janesvillecomments
At least only the police are carrying guns on the street . Thank God Governor Doyle vetoed the concealed carry permit law .
I agree with you janesvillecomments the concealed carry permit law would cause a lot of problems.......thanks again
Mar 20, 2009 at 7:01 p.m.
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lsj64 it is your opinion as it is mine yet read the laws and then judge my statements, by the way probable cause is almost anything they want to use to arrest someone. A I would guess probable cause was an issue last night with "Hiers said police have interviewed people they suspect of being involved but received no cooperation." I just hope they get these fools befor the next target is a human life.=====(ยง 1510. Obstruction of criminal investigations a) Whoever willfully endeavors by means to obstruct, delay, or prevent the communication of information relating to a violation of any criminal statute of the United States by any person to a criminal investigator shall be fined under this title, or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.)
Mar 20, 2009 at 5:37 p.m.
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gonefishin- HOW TRUE!
Mar 20, 2009 at 4:45 p.m.
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What is happening to Janesville??
Mar 20, 2009 at 3:39 p.m.
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why pay for a paper that is 2 sections and covers nothing? The sports section is bigger than the whole dang community news. Pathetic. I remember delivery the paper as a kid and most days one paper then is 4 times the size of one now.
Mar 20, 2009 at 3:33 p.m.
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I do believe that Janesville is becoming a worse of city to live in than Beloit. To all of you that used to chant "Go back to the hood" when we would come for sporting events....karma karma karma. I will just sit back and enjoy seeing the once pristine and "white" Janesville become the new ghetto.
Mar 20, 2009 at 3:16 p.m.
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You people that bitch about the Gazette all the time are incredible..Why do you even bother to read this site, or comment with these blogs? Do you pay for this "online Gazette subscription"..?..I dont think so, please enough.
Mar 20, 2009 at 2:58 p.m.
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I love the gazette, wont miss it one bit once I move.
Mar 20, 2009 at 2:41 p.m.
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did not realize this neighborhood was called "Look West."
with all that gunplay, perhaps a name change?
Old West!
Mar 20, 2009 at 2:06 p.m.
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carlitosway: A degree in police science?! WOW. And what is your profession?? Law Enforcement needs probable cause to make an arrest. The DA will "charge" them.
Mar 20, 2009 at 2:04 p.m.
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rustytrombone - does this really surprise you? It's the Gazette after all.
Mar 20, 2009 at 1:55 p.m.
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At least only the police are carrying guns on the street and bullets aren't flying everywhere. Thank God Governor Doyle vetoed the concealed carry permit law that would allow law-abiding residents to carry firearms around after being screened and trained, otherwise we might have shooting incidents in Janesville.
Mar 20, 2009 at 1:22 p.m.
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Wow, heroin busts a couple of times a week, (2 in todays paper)and now driveby shootings. Things will only get worse as this economy keeps getting worse! People will no longer move to Janesville for jobs, they will move there for other reasons!
Mar 20, 2009 at 12:52 p.m.
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I enjoy reading your comments during my lunch break. I don't mind some of your amateur detective skills or your chastisment of others for their lack of said skills. I can ignore the cynicism and feeble attempts at sarcasm. What does bother me is when a police sargeant remarks on the shooters lack of aiming ability. It seems that they are almost challenging them to take better aim when they do decide to shoot at something/someone.
Mar 20, 2009 at 12:40 p.m.
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In the past, I've made some of those "shots fired" calls. Fortunately it hasn't been for a couple of years, where I live. I'm really happy that nobody was hurt, especially people believing themselves safe in their homes.
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hannah, the breaking news is in the "latest news" blog. This article is the one that appears in the paper. It would be nice if they would link from one to the other, at least, but this is the way the Gazette does it.
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carlitosway, the police are speculating because they don't have information to go on. Also, they can only charge someone with obstruction if they can prove that they knew about the crime and lied. Unless they lied about their own identity or ended up being an uncooperative material witness, it's a pretty difficult charge to prove. The cops can't just lock up everyone their gut tells them isn't telling them everything.
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I share your concern about unsolved shootings, but the fact is that there are unsolved crimes all over the country every day, and they never will be solved. When you have two groups of criminals in a dispute neither of them has any incentive to go to the cops.
Mar 20, 2009 at 12:20 p.m.
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ljs64 They may not be able to hold them but the can charge them.
Mar 20, 2009 at 12:18 p.m.
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fschultz thank you for your post I am just concerned as the 2 shootings on laurel were not solved and It is a just the longer it takes the less chance of catching them it seems to become. I knew of the 2 on laurel as I know the people there and it bothers me because of ypoung kids being at the locations of the shootings.
Mar 20, 2009 at 12:12 p.m.
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ljs64 not to much cop TV the laws state it can charge people that obstruct and withhold information.FYI I have a police science degree and do know what I am talking Go to a Wisconsin law library and read laws that can be used and then tell me who is the ignorant one! Also i understand time is needed to investigate situations like this and i am sorry for wanting answers now, just that it is a concern living in the area of this.
Mar 20, 2009 at 12:04 p.m.
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talktalk it was my own grammar i was correcting I didn't want the proof readers to get me lol
Mar 20, 2009 at 11:56 a.m.
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I think we need to give the cops some time before criticizing the dearth of information. A lot of this, they just don't know, yet. They're investigating. They've questioned suspects. That's pretty good -- finding people to question -- considering that it looks as though everyone involved ran away before they got there. I found Lt. Hiers very forthcoming this morning. -- Gazette reporter Frank Schultz
Mar 20, 2009 at 11:41 a.m.
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carlitosway has watched way too much cop tv. This is the real world my friend. If you have no idea what your talking about please stop talking. Your ignorance of the law and personal rights is comical.
Mar 20, 2009 at 11:26 a.m.
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Another K-Mart cop.....Thinks he/she knows the law but really does not.
"Hold then till they talk" REALLY?? Law enforcement can do that?? I don't think so.
Mar 20, 2009 at 11:25 a.m.
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"people complain I dont proofread. I dont write a paper. the Gazette should proofread"-Hannah
"if they update article why can you put it on the same page or something please."-Hannah
Why don't you BOTH proofread!
Mar 20, 2009 at 11:25 a.m.
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Carlito, why don't you spend a little more time focusing on the problem, rather than correcting people's grammar?...some people type fast, and don't really care if a letter or 2 is incorrect.
Mar 20, 2009 at 11:22 a.m.
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by the way they found a body on the trail between Benton and Blackbridge by the little league park.
Mar 20, 2009 at 11:20 a.m.
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*are
Mar 20, 2009 at 11:19 a.m.
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Police said they don't think the houses or the car were targets Well who was the target then? It was not immediately known if the incident was gang-related, Hiers said Do we know if it might really been drug related? Do any of those people in the 2 groups live anywhere near the targets (sarcasism) "Hiers said police have interviewed people they suspect of being involved but received no cooperation" well maybe they have something to hide, hold the idiots until they talk. As to witness a crime and not do nothing about is also a crime. and the person can be charged. Also obstruction of justice is against the law and they sre obstructing an investigation by not telling the officers the truth and refusing to is just that "obstruction of justice". So do your Job JPD charge them with it maybe you might get one of the tough guys to talk so he don't have to meet "bubba" Just my input and opinion....
Mar 20, 2009 at 11:10 a.m.
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The are just shooting each other. All is well.
Mar 20, 2009 at 10:59 a.m.
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Its pretty bad when you have to be afraid to let your children go outside to play. Oh and not to mention the fact that they have to hear gunshots in the middle of the night!!! Maybe we should rename our neighborhood "Look Out" instead of "Look West"!!!!
Mar 20, 2009 at 10:55 a.m.
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Any link to the rumors about a potential gang initiation that was to take place last night in Beloit or Janesville? Ohhhh wait. There is no gang problem in Janesville. Sorry.
Mar 20, 2009 at 10:49 a.m.
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folks in the "look to the wild west" hood should start wearing blaze orange, hey.
Mar 20, 2009 at 10:28 a.m.
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Two "groups"? Uh, I think you mean "gangs"!
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