Updated 10:15 p.m.
Six cars hit with bullets; two people hurt; two shooters still out there.
As the sun goes down Thrusday night, the danger is still very real to people driving Interstate 64.
"I considered not driving through there because of it or going a different way," said James Diersen, a Virginia Tech student heading home to Virginia Beach.
"It will certainly make me scared," Ed Jayme said, driving with his family to Richmond.
Thursday night State Police were keeping more troopers on the road.
"It's a possiblity we could experience more. I certainly hope we don't. We are doing everything that we thing is appropriate and reasonable to try to give security to the area," said Virginia State Police Colonel Steven Flaherty.
The troopers were watching for anythiig suspicious, and giving drivers some peace of mind.
"I guess it kind of helps a little bit to know that they're gonna be out," Diersen said.
For people who were still nervous, they considered about taking an alternate route, like Route 250.
"If I had known about it maybe I would have stopped for awhile and think it out and see if things would subisde in a sense," said Jayme. "Probably go another route and so on."
"I'm a little bit more aware when I'm driving than I would be I guess,:" said Diersen.
Some drivers were taking the shootings in stride...
"I'm goin' to dinner and have a glass of wine and not worry about any of it," said Frank Gilbert.
Others were terrified that a gunman could still be in the area.
"I hope they will catch the person responsible for it or I will be scared even going back even now knowing that the person may still be around," said Jayme.
State Police tell us they have over 50 leads, but so far, no arrests. The two people hurt in the shootings were treated and released from area hospitals.
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Updated 5:29 p.m.
Virginia State Police and Albemarle County deputies plan to increase patrols on Interstate 64 tonight, following the shooting of at least six vehicles in the early morning hours.
State Police Superintendent Colonel Steven Flaherty tells 10 On Your Side's John Carlin that troopers have "very good" witness accounts about the shootings, but would not elaborate if that meant people saw the shooter or shooters and gave officers a description.
Investigators said in a morning news conference that they believe more than one person did the shootings. Col. Flaherty cited witness information at one of the shooting cites. Col. Flaherty added that the multiple suspect theory "does not mean that they were firing simultaneously," and he does not believe that these shootings are "sniper" type, but are more likely random shootings.
Investigators say they've received more than 50 calls about leads.
Shots came from the overpass at Route 690 (Greenwood Station Road), and the Ivy exit on I-64 (exit 114). Shots were also fired at the Virginia Department of Transportation facility in Yancey Mills. The area encompasses about an eleven mile stretch of I-64 between Waynesboro and Charlottesville.
Troopers closed a 20 mile section of I-64 for about six and a half hours, before re-opening the highway before 7:00 a.m.
Col. Flaherty would not say what type of gun was used, but said the same caliber weapon was used in the three shooting locations. He couldn't say for sure if all the shots were fired by the same weapon. Troopers sent shell casings recovered at the overpass and Ivy exit sites, to the ATF lab for ballistics tests.
The shootings hurt two people. A man driving a Mazda 3 was hit in the shoulder, after a bullet pierced his windshield. A woman who was driving a van was also hit. Neither person is seriously hurt. Both were treated and released.
Col. Flaherty says people who need to drive through that area of I-64 should not be afraid, but stay alert for anything unusual.
Albemarle County school leaders canceled classes, to prevent school-bound students from becoming potential targets. Lee Catlin, county spokeswoman, said officials were worried that students driving to school or waiting at bus stops could be in danger. "With the investigation still going on, and so many unknowns, there was concern for the safety of students and staff," Catlin said. "We were concerned about students driving to school and waiting for buses with the investigation and search continuing."
Charlottesville and Albemarle County parks and recreation officials announced they are canceling classes and events scheduled for this evening, to ensure safety of participants.
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Update 2:32 p.m.
10 On Your Side's John Carlin will anchor live from the investigation area tonight on WSLS at 5:00, 5:30, and 6:00 p.m.
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Update 2:06 p.m.
State Police now say at least six vehicles were shot overnight on Interstate 64.
Troopers say more than 50 leads have already been called in.
Investigators ask anyone with information to contact either Virginia State Police at (434) 293-3223 or the Albemarle-Charlottesville CrimeStoppers Tip Line at (434) 977-4000.
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Updated 12:50 p.m.
CHARLOTTESVILLE - Police presence will be increased today and tomorrow along the I-64 corridor where at least two suspects fired randomly at cars from the side of the road and from an overpass early this morning.
Two drivers sustained minor injuries.
Flaherty cautioned motorists on I-64 to be watchful. "I think everybody needs to be observant," said Falherty. "We all need to be cautious...I think they (the shooters) could still be in the area."
State Police Superintendent Steven Flaherty said he has a "strategy" to deal with the potential of more shootings in addition to bolstering police numnbers, but he declined to reveal it.
Police believe more than one person was involved in the shootings based on what witnesses saw at the site of one shooting, Flaherty said. They have no suspects, however.
Police closed about 20 miles of the interstate from Charlottesville to near Waynesboro in Augusta County for six hours Thursday monring after receiving multiple reports of gunshots being fired starting at around midnight. Police are still uncertain how many shots were fired or the duration of the shooting. "We just don’t have a good feel for how long it went on," said Flaherty.
Few vehicles were on the road at that time of night, police said. One driver, a man, sustained an injury to his neck either form a bullet frargment of flying glass. The other injured driver, a woman, susstained a minor injury to her shoulder possibly from debris thrown by the bullet penetrating her vehicle. Both were treated and released at the Augusta Medical Center in Fishersville. Police refused to identify the two injured people, citing the ongoing investigation.
The shootings occured at three different locations along the interstate. One vehicle was struck by bullets as it drove onto the westbound ramp at the Ivy exit just west of Charlottesville at mile marker 114. Three other vehicles were struck in the westbound lane from a sniper shooting from the Rt. 690 overapass near the 106 mile marker. That overpass is about 10 miles from the Ivy exit.
Authorities asked that anyone with information on the shootings call state police at (434) 293-3223 or Crimestoppers at (434) 972-4000.
Times-Dispatch Staff Writers Ed Kelleher, Calvin Trice and Michael Martz contributed to this report.
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Updated 12:06 p.m.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) - Police were searching for more than one suspect Thursday in a series of shootings at vehicles on Interstate 64, the superintendent of the Virginia State Police said.
Col. Steven Flaherty said at a news conference that authorities knew of no motive for the shootings, which injured two people and prompted the closure of a 20-mile stretch of I-64 between Charlottesville and Waynesboro for about six hours early Thursday.
Flaherty said police believe the shooter or shooters may still be in the area. He said motorists don't need to avoid I-64, but that they should be observant. He said police had a strategy for protecting motorists, but would not be specific.
"We're certainly going to put additional resources out," Flaherty said.
Flaherty said two cars, a van and a tractor-trailer - all traveling westbound - were struck by bullets along an 11-mile stretch of the highway early Thursday. An unoccupied parked Virginia Department of Transportation vehicle also was shot.
The two injured motorists were treated and released at hospitals in Staunton and Waynesboro. Flaherty said he did not know if the victims were struck by a bullet or by glass.
The first call came in at 12:10 a.m. One shooting occurred at the exit 114 on-ramp and three others occurred at the Rt. 690 overpass at the 106 mile marker in the Afton area.
Flaherty said police think the bullets were all of the same caliber but they could not be sure until forensic tests are completed. He could not say what type of gun was used.
Flaherty said he heard some media describe the shootings as a sniper incident, but he disagreed with that description.
"It appears to be random firing," he said.
I-64 was closed just after midnight from mile marker 96 in Augusta County to mile marker 118 in Albemarle County and VDOT on set up a detour. The interstate was reopened in both directions at 6:20 a.m.
11:01 a.m. update: From Media General News Service:
Albemarle County school officials canceled classes for the day to prevent school-bound students from becoming potential targets for a shooter sought by police in western Albemarle County.
Lee Catlin, county spokeswoman, said officials were worried that students driving to school or waiting at bus stops could be in danger.
Police from at least five agencies are searching for a rifle-toting person who wounded two people and shot up at least four vehicles on Interstate 64 and buildings in and around Greenwood and Waynesboro in a series of incidents that began shortly after midnight.
"With the investigation still going on, and so many unknowns, there was concern for the safety of students and staff," Catlin said. "We were concerned about students driving to school and waiting for buses with the investigation and search continuing."
A Virginia State Police helicopter and Albemarle County police and troopers on the ground searched a rural area near the Misty Mountain Campground in western Albemarle County after citizens reported a man carrying what may have been a rifle. No one was found.
Reports of damage from gunshots have come in from around Greenwood, Crozet and the Yellow Mountain areas of Albemarle County
Police have been looking for a shooter since shortly after midnight a man was seen on the Greenwood Station Road overpass at Interstate 64 with a rifle. Four vehicles reportedly were struck by gunfire from what may have been a .22-caliber rifle. Sgt. Dave Cooper, of the state police, said the first report of shootings came in at 12:10 a.m. Thursday.
Police closed a 20-mile stretch from milepost 96 in Augusta County near Waynesboro to U.S. 29 in Albemarle County. The road was closed for more than six hours as gunshots were reported in an around western Albemarle County, from Western Albemarle High School to Patterson Mill.
Police also investigated a burglary-in-progress with gunshots fired that may have been related to the highway incidents.
A Swoope man was treated at AMC for a shoulder injury after a bullet hit the windshield of his Mazda 3. A woman in the vehicle was not injured, according to the Waynesboro News-Virginian.
A woman driving a van was also being treated for minor injuries in a separate shooting incident in the same area, police said.
Police officials weree to release more information on their investigation at 10:30 a.m., although that is subject to chage, they said.
7:36 a.m. update: From The Associated Press:
CHARLOTTESVILLE - A 20-mile stretch of Interstate 64
between Charlottesville and Waynesboro is open again as Virginia
State Police continue searching for someone who took shots at
vehicles on the interstate.
State police say at least four cars were struck by bullets along
an 11-mile stretch of I-64 last night.
Sergeant David Cooper said the first call came in just after
midnight. He said two people reported injuries and went to
hospitals in Staunton and Waynesboro. He said neither person had
life threatening injuries, but he didn't know if the victims were
struck by a bullet or by glass.
I-64 was closed about 6 hours, from mile marker 96 in Augusta
County to mile marker 118 in Albemarle County and the interstate
was reopened in both directions at 6:20 a.m. as police continued
investigating the shootings.
Cooper said investigators gathered evidence overnight were
closely checking several interstate ramps near the shootings, as
well as woods in the rural area.
Cooper said he didn't know if there was more than one shooter or
what type of gun or guns were used.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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