No holiday from vandalism: Window shootings resume

A bullet hole is left in a window on the east side of the Buffalo Grill after being shot through this weekend. The Fort Scott Police Department is currently investigating the incident as well as a string of window shootings from earlier in the summer. (Michael Pommier/Tribune)

After two months of silence, two more window shootings causing nearly $1,000 in damages to local businesses were reported Tuesday morning.

The old Boot Jack building, 2 S. State St., now owned by Danny Ellis, was damaged over the weekend as the smallest window on the north end of the building was shot. Ellis said the windows were installed last week with the final window going in Friday. He believes the damage occurred Friday evening because he noticed it when he was touring the building on Saturday.

According to Ellis, the construction of the windows and the tint do not show the damage from the outside, however from the inside, the window is shattered.

The second building hit was the Buffalo Grill, 3 W. Oak St., in which a window was shot, causing an estimated $800 in damage, according to Fort Scott Police Department Lt. Travis Shelton.

Most of the damages seem to have been done with some type of BB gun, air gun, or airsoft gun, he added.

Shelton said there were a few reports which were filed but have not been completed could be more cases of criminal damage similar to the window shootings.

"There might have been a couple more," Shelton said.

Similar reports were filed earlier this summer totaling nearly $10,000 in damages to windows at Extrusions, Inc., 2401 S. Main St., Woods Supermarket, 2322 S. Main St., Subway, 1715 S. National Ave., the AT and T building, 23 W. First St., Eugene Ware Elementary School, 900 E. Third St., Aunt Toadie's, 1411 E. Wall St., and Taco Bell, 2305 S. Main St.

"It kind of stopped ... until these two today," Shelton said.

No arrests have been made in connection with any of the crimes, and each case is being investigated separately, Shelton said.

As police continue investigations of the incidents, they are also seeking assistance from the public. Anyone who has a tip or lead that police may follow regarding the criminal damages are encouraged to call the FSPD Tip hotline at (620) 223-1711. People who choose to call the hotline can leave an anonymous voice message for police. Callers also have the option of dialing FSPD dispatch at 223-1700 and requesting to speak with an officer about information on the crimes, Shelton said.