RELATED: As Springfield violence climbs, 2 sides battle different fronts
McElroy suffered one or more gunshot wounds but his injuries were not life-threatening, police said.
Detectives were still working Saturday night to locate a suspect.
RELATED: Murders drop in Springfield, but gun violence is up
Residents in the normally quiet neighborhood were awakened by the gunfire.
“I heard a loud noise, wasn’t really sure what it was, heard it again and then recognized it as gunshots. … There were several, at least eight that we had initially heard,” said Carlisa Parker, a longtime resident.
Police told nearby residents the shooting was believed to be an isolated incident, but many said they were left in fear and are concerned for the safety of police officers and others in the community.
“It’s very shocking and it’s very scary and it’s extremely unusual for something like that to happen in this neighborhood,” Parker said. “We’ve been here for 22 years and nothing like this has ever occurred here.”
The killing underscores what law enforcement said is a pressing need to curb gun violence in Springfield, which this year has injured multiple people but had not led to any homicides until this weekend.
Five people were slain in Springfield in 2016, down from a dozen killings a year earlier.
However, the city last year saw a significant increase in aggravated assaults, which often are tied to gun violence.
Police recorded more than 20 aggravated assaults through the first two months of 2017, including multiple gunshot victims who were lucky to survive.
“There are still people reaching for a handgun to solve a problem,” police Chief Steve Moody told this news organization earlier this month.
Credit: Bill Lackey
Credit: Bill Lackey
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