AUBURN, Wash. -- Two people were shot and injured after a drive-by shooting caused chaos on Highway 167 in Auburn late Monday. The shooting investigation forced a southbound closure of the highway for about four hours Monday night into early Tuesday morning.
Detectives canvassed a one-mile stretch of highway looking bullet casings overnight. Four people were in the car that was hit by multiple bullets. Troopers said the victims were not helping much in the investigation Tuesday.
"Unfortunately because we feel this is gang-related, we're not getting quite the information that we're hoping for so that's why it's taking a little bit longer at the scene," said Trooper Cliff Pratt of the Washington State Patrol. "We have such a long scene. We have to rely on just the physical evidence."
The shooting happened around 10:30 p.m. Monday on the southbound on-ramp from 15th Street NW in Auburn. Dispatchers received several 911 calls over a road rage incident. Witnesses tell WSP gang signs were thrown before shots were fired.
The victims' car was hit at least 13 times and ended up in a ditch, according to WSP.
Troopers say two people in the front of the victim vehicle were both hit several times in the lower portions of their bodies. Two people who were in the back seat are OK. The two injured victims are being treated for non-life-threatening injuries at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.
Although detectives believe this shooting is related to gang activity, they say road rage incidents can be deadly whether you're in a gang or not. They used the Highway167 shooting as an opportunity to caution drivers about road rage.
"People feel very entitled and empowered in their vehicles," said Pratt. "You never know what somebody is going to be carrying. Flipping the bird or flipping a gang sign, to us, it's really no different. People are going to take great offense to that. You never know what somebody is going to do in a car."
Investigators say they are looking for three people in a black car. That was the only suspect information WSP had available as of early Tuesday. Troopers are hoping others on the highway who may have seen something will call 911.
