The Shelton Police Department is investigating what could have been a gang fight Sunday that sent one person to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.
According to a news release, at 6:51 PM Shelton officers were dispatched to the 1900 block of Adams Street regarding a large group of males fighting in the street with metal pipes. Dispatch advised officers that one male was injured and the rest of the subjects were fleeing on foot and in vehicles.
Upon arrival, officers located a Hispanic male with significant and life threatening head injuries. The victim was treated on scene by medics and then flown to Harborview by Airlift Northwest.
While officers were looking for suspects, the police were notified of another victim with head trauma in the 800 block of K Street. The injured subject was also a Hispanic male, who had trauma to his head and arm. This man refused to cooperate with investigators and would not say what had occurred. Investigators believe he may have been involved in the original disturbance on Adams Street.
The investigation is in the preliminary stages, and authorities are trying to piece together what happened.
“What we do know is that there has been a spike in assaults with weapons,” said Captain Fiola of the Shelton Police Department. “We are not ruling out the possibility that this is gang related, based on the color of clothing and known criminal history of the individuals involved.”
Detectives are being told that all of these recent assaults with weapons could be tied together, and retaliatory in nature.
“There is no reason to believe the public at large is in danger at this time, but we are not going to sit idly by and allow this type of violence to take root in our community,” Fiola explained. “We will be increasing our patrols in the areas of these disturbances, actively working to arrest those responsible, and working with the affected communities to prevent future crimes.”
At the last report, the victim at Harborview Medical Center was in stable condition.
Anyone who witnessed this incident or has information regarding this case is asked to contact the Shelton Police Department at 360-426-4441.