New apartment renters rattled by gunfire

Apartments at the recently opened Oasis at the Wells were the target of gunfire early this morning, with approximately 16 shots fired at the C building of the community.

“This morning at 6 a.m. Maricopa Police officers responded to 41535 W. Shea Way on a report of noise sounding like gun shots or fireworks,” City of Maricopa spokesman Luis Vila said. “A second caller reported bullet holes in their apartment. Officers confirmed the damage. No injuries have been reported and police believe this to be an isolated incident, not random.”

MPD Criminal Investigations Division Sgt. Colt Homan, who was on the scene leading the investigation, declined to comment, stating the investigation was still in progress. He said MPD is searching for leads and suspects.

A resident of the building hit by the gunfire, who declined to be identified, said she did not feel the shots were directed toward her apartment.

Fellow resident Monisha Hill, 32, left for work at 5 a.m. and did not hear the shots, but said the shooting highlights the need for security at the community.

“We need more protection, we need gates out here,” Hill said. “And these people, whoever was shot at, they need to be evicted. This community is nice, I don’t want that in here. We need better security and patrols.”

“I’ve been out here (in the area near Walmart) for four years and nothing like this has ever happened,” she said. “I’m shocked and spooked right now.”

Another Oasis resident, a 39-year-old veteran who served in Iraq, echoed Hill’s sentiments about security.

“We just need security – any kind,” said the man, who declined to be identified. “Anything is better than nothing, because that (shooting) is not OK, especially with kids. I have a 7-year-old…and I’m not comfortable.”

Oasis at the Wells community manager Correne Bahr said the incident caught her off guard.

“I was surprised when I got the call because this is such a new community,” Bahr said. “But you never know what’s going to happen from day to day. We have had maybe three or four residents come in concerned about this because they have families.”

Bahr said because the gunfire “was all over. We don’t know which unit they were shooting at.”