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At least fifteen rounds from a semi-automatic weapon were fired Saturday afternoon at the corner of W. Main Street and N. Sycamore Street in Downtown Aberdeen as the “sidewalks were packed with people,” according to Aberdeen Police Chief Carl Colasacco.

No arrests or injuries have been reported and “this appears to be an isolated incident with no reason to expect anything more from this,” Colasacco said. However, at least two witnesses have spoken to the authorities, “and we hope that more will come forward.” According to one witness, “An African American man dressed head to toe in black with a black face mask that covered most of his face got out of the driver’s side of a white sedan and fired shots into the driver’s side of a dark blue Honda Pilot.”

Craig Johnson of Fayetteville was just coming out of Charlotte’s Furnishings and Finds when he heard the shots. As a retired member of the military, he was certain “I heard full auto” meaning that the shots were fired from a semi-automatic weapon of sorts. He immediately looked toward where the shots were being fired and saw what he believed to be both cars leaving the scene. Johnson’s truck was parked outside of Pizzeria Grazia. After the incident, his truck was moved and searched by Aberdeen police for damage “for what looks like little entrapment pieces all in there.” Additionally, crime scene tape blocked off several spots within that vicinity as the investigators searched the area looking for evidence.

Another witness was inside of Pizzeria Grazia and spoke with police at length about what she had seen. She too “heard that semi-automatic sound for sure, very quick, rapid fire.” While she initially ducked, she looked outside and “saw the Honda in the process of turning from Main onto Sycamore when the guy in the white car got out of his car and just started shooting the person driving the blue car.”

After she saw both cars drive off, she stepped outside and “saw a guy walking towards the bullet casings that were all in the road by the railroad tracks. He leaned down to look at the bullet casings and then he got on his phone. I looked at him and said, ‘Those were shots, right?’ and he nodded. He was the first one to call 911, I believe.”

Colasacco was off duty at the time and rushed to the scene. “I am incredibly proud of the way our officers handled and are handling this ongoing investigation. They were out here immediately, barricading the crime scene, maintaining the integrity of the crime scene, and speaking to witnesses.”

He added, “This is a very strange situation. We do not have these things happen in Aberdeen. In my 27 years here, we have not had anything like this happen. Right now, it just doesn’t make sense, but we will get to the bottom of it.” He also indicated that an official statement would be made “sometime soon.”

If you have information leading to an arrest, an award is being offered. If you witnessed the event and can share pertinent details, Aberdeen Police would like for you to contact them as well.

The Aberdeen Police Tip Line is (910) 944-4561.

Contact Sam Hudson at (678) 577-6183 or sam@thepilot.com

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Biden’s and Cooper’s and Stein’s America. Open borders controlled by Mexican drug lords. Drugs and drug warfare in our streets. Defund the police? SCC President Dempsey wants to end our right to defend ourselves. And now we pay his bloated retirement. No wonder legal gun sales are at record levels.

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