Victim told officers he had “no problems with anyone in the community” after ankle injury

A Spratling Street man was hospitalized with a gunshot wound to his ankle around midnight on June 15, and suspects involved in the assault remain at large, according to a Polk County Police report.

The victim, who had just arrived home around midnight, walked to his mailbox at the end of the road when a gray Nissan sedan approached and he briefly spoke to a male driver and passenger.

According to the report, “the black male passenger then pulled a gun he (the victim) described as shiny and stated “say less” then fired through the driver’s side window at least three times.

The victim told officers that he began to run to his house and was struck by a round in his ankle, causing him to fall. The vehicle fled the area immediately.

A unidentified female helped the victim up and to the hospital, where police met with him at Polk Medical Center’s Emergency Room to hear what happened before he was taken to Floyd Medical Center for surgery to repair his ankle.

The report stated police found no shell casings at the scene, nor any other physical evidence other than an earbud believed to be lost by the victim, and a piece of mail.

Police noted that the victim told officers that he “did not have any problems with anyone in the community at this time and, has no idea why anyone would shoot at him other than mistaken identity.”

Officers did interview neighbors in the area who reported they heard shots, but didn’t witness anything else.

Anyone who knows who might be responsible for the shooting is encouraged to call Polk County Police at 770-748-7331 to report information they may have.