Published: November 09, 2009 11:55 pm      

3 girls fired upon after Kokomo prom

Police don’t believe teens were specifically targeted

Police said three Kokomo teens are lucky to be unhurt after a shooting incident early Sunday morning.

A fight at a prom after-party may have led to the incident, that left a Dodge Durango riddled with bullets and police looking for suspects.

Kokomo Capt. Brian Thompson said police are looking for a newer model, black Jeep Grand Cherokee with specialty rims, and for anyone who attended a prom after-party at the Travelers Inn & Suites, 1709 E. Lincoln Road.

Thompson said the driver of the Durango, a juvenile female, saw or heard the occupants of the Grand Cherokee open fire as the Jeep approached the Durango from behind.

Thompson said the driver told the other two girls to duck, and then turned into a nearby parking lot.

“It’s lucky she told [the other Durango occupants] to duck, because one of the bullets came through the back window, through the back of the passenger-side headrest, and out the front of the headrest,” Thompson said.

Police suspect the shooting was connected with a fight reported a short time earlier at the Travelers Inn, Thompson said.

Officers on midnight patrol were called to the inn on a fight report around 2 a.m., shortly before the shooting occurred.

Thompson said the females in the Durango gave a ride to one of the individuals involved in the fight.

He said the shooter or shooters in the Grand Cherokee may have thought the individual was still inside the Durango. Police don’t believe the shooting was specifically targeting any of the girls.

“They gave one of the bad guys a ride. They had no idea who he was,” Thompson said.

“That’s pretty bad, when you’re driving down the road and you hear gunshots, and you immediately have to tell everybody in your car to duck,” he said.

Kokomo High School had its fall prom Saturday evening, but the after-party event at the Travelers Inn was not a school-sponsored event, Thompson said.

Police ask anyone with information in the case to call the Kokomo Police Hotline at 765-456-7017, or you may qualify for a cash reward by calling Central Indiana Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS with your anonymous tip.

• Scott Smith is a Kokomo Tribune staff writer. He may be reached via e-mail at scott.smith@kokomotribune.com