Two murdered in Wednesday drive-by

By Paul Keane

The Wayne County News

Two people were murdered during an early Wednesday morning drive-by

shooting in the Patton Creek area.

A 16-year-old female and a 19-year-old male both were pronounced dead

after shooting sprayed a home on East Hill Drive around 2 a.m.

Wednesday. Names of the victims were not being released at press tine.

The Waynesboro Police Department, Wayne County Sheriff's Department,

State Line Police Department and Wayne General Hospital all responded to

the scene.

"There were multiple shots fired in a drive-by shooting incident,"

said WPD Investigations Commander Don Hopkins. "The bodies have been

sent to the Crime Lab for autopsies."

Multiple shell casings and other evidence was collected at the scene.

Hopkins said the investigation is looking at all angles, including if

the shooting is connected to recent shootings that have occurred over

the last few months.

WPD Chief Holt Ross pleaded for help from the public to help bring about

an arrest and close the case.

"We welcome any information from that public that could help us make

an arrest," Ross said. "We need help from the community, and

information would be a big help to both our department and this

community."

Hopkins said he too hopes the public comes forward with information.

"If you see something, say something," he said. "This is the

fourth year in a row that we have worked a homicide case during

Christmas week. I'm sick of working homicides this time of year. The

public has to help the community, and the community needs to stand up

and stop this.

"There are two families now who are going to have to go through the

holidays without a loved one. Not only are these families hurting, but

this community is hurting."

Hopkins also said the entire legal system needs to work together to help

close cases such as this.

"We can make arrests and put offenders behind bards, and hopefully the

courts will do their duty and keep them behind bars."