One injured in Janesville shooting

Following a drive-by shooting on Main Street in Janesville about 3 p.m. Tuesday, a man in his 20s is in stable condition after being treated for a gunshot wound to the back. Two men are in custody at the Waseca County Jail awaiting criminal charges, likely for attempted murder and aiding and abetting murder, according to information released by the Janesville Police Department. 

Accounts from various witnesses paint a picture of the victim’s vehicle being pursued at high speed by the two detainees off of Minnesota Highway 14 and down some area roads into Janesville, where the victim was fired upon and injured along Main Street.

Janesville resident Mike Sheehy describes having been at “a normal day at work” at the Janesville Hardware store when he heard the sounds of squealing tires followed by gunfire– except that it was so rapid Sheehy describes it as having been similar to a large truck gearing down its transmission. Another commenter speculated that the sound seemed similar to a nail gun. 

Sheehy and others stepped out into the street where they observed a vehicle driving rapidly eastward on Old Highway 14, and also saw the victim in his car, which was still rolling forward. “He shouted ‘Call 9-1-1!’” says Sheehy. The vehicle, a black Kia Forte, collided with the Janesville Post Office before coming to a stop.

The Janesville Police Department reports numerous emergency calls received at about 3 p.m. Based on witness descriptions of the escaping vehicle and its direction of travel, deputies from the Waseca County Sheriff’s office and officers from the Waseca Police Department were able to identify and stop the fleeing vehicle without incident. One handgun was recovered.

Sheehy describes the victim’s car as having been riddled with bullet holes, including having a broken windshield and passenger-side window. He and another witness stood near the broken glass to prevent approaching cars from driving across it . “We counted 25 9-millimeter casings,” he says.

As part of an on-going investigation, the Janesville Police Department requests that any witnesses who made video of the occurrence make those available to law enforcement. Submissions can be anonymous if desired. At this time, the police department is working with the Waseca County Sheriff’s office and the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to investigate the relationship between the occupants of the two vehicles. Assistance was provided at the scene by the Blue Earth County drug task force, the Waseca Police Department, and the Minnesota State Highway Patrol.