Jul 2, 2008 10:10 am US/Eastern
Texas Police Arrest 1 In 'Random Roadway' Shooting
Police Believe 6 Shootings Tied To Suspected Gunman
GARLAND, Texas (CBS) ―
Garland Police believe a 22-year-old they arrested Tuesday night is responsible for the six random North Texas shootings in three days.
The shootings started Sunday afternoon in Garland and expanded into Mesquite, Richardson and Plano.
According to reports, a Garland Police Officer spotted a black Honda Prelude about a half-mile from the latest shooting location - Phao's Ca Doa restaurant - and stopped the driver, who matched a witness description.
Just after 9 p.m. Tuesday, police say a slender man parked in front of the Garland restaurant, got out of the car and fired two rounds at the building. No one was injured.
Police say he then walked casually back to his car. A Garland officer stopped a black Honda Prelude with oversize chrome exhaust pipes and blacked out windows about 10:30 p.m. Tuesday and took the man into custody without incident, police said.
A pistol was found inside the car believed to be the weapon used in the shootings.
Earlier Tuesday evening, another shooting occurred in Plano. According to authorities, a woman driving a maroon mini-van was heading west on the George Bush Turnpike about 7 p.m.
Someone approached her between the Central Expressway and Custer Road, and according to Plano police, she saw a man point a gun out of the window of his car. She slammed on her brakes and was not hit by the bullet.
The woman exited the turnpike on Independence Parkway and called police. She told them the suspect's car continued heading west toward the Dallas North Tollway after the shooting.
According to reports, the woman gave police the same description as other victims have given during the past three days: the shooter was a man in a black compact vehicle.
Police said the turnpike shooting appears to be connected to four other recent roadway shootings. While two people have been wounded by gunfire, police believe it's only a matter of time before someone is killed.
Miguel Miralrio of Garland was at a stop light at the intersection of Jupiter and Arapaho in Richardson about 5 p.m. Monday.
"A car turned onto Jupiter and someone started shooting. I don't know who he was shooting at, but my truck got hit," Miralrio said. "I was very scared and so was my family. I don't have any problems with anybody."
The driver fired three shots into Miralrio's Ford Explorer before speeding away. All three bullets hit the door, and the impact shattered his window. Miralrio was not injured.
"I removed the bullet from the door that could have killed me," he said. "I wanted to cry when I saw the bullet."
Detectives believe Tuesday's shootings are tied to two weekend shootings in Garland and one shooting in Mesquite. All three of those shootings happened Sunday. In each shooting, police believe the suspect fired a pistol.
"I feel sad for him. It seems like he doesn't have any feelings," Miralrio said. Thank God I didn't get hurt."
The man is being held in the Garland Jail and faces two counts of Aggravated Assault-Deadly Weapon, two counts of endangering a child and one deadly conduct – all in relation to the Garland incidents. Bond has not been set.
Officials have not relased the man's name or photgraph. More charges are expected for the other shootings.
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