PUNTA GORDA, Fla. — A person is in the hospital after being shot in a Punta Gorda neighborhood.
Punta Gorda Police were called to Mary Street and East Helen Avenue around 9:00 am Wednesday morning.
The neighborhood sits rights across the street from a school and right behind a church. The school was put on lockdown for about an hour as a precaution according to police. However no children were in danger.
When walking around the neighborhood, the people who live in the area said something like this is uncommon and the neighborhood is "beautiful and historic."
“It’s been probably 20-years since you heard some gunshots around here,” said one neighbor who refused to be named. The man has lived in the neighborhood for the past 43 years.
“Since I’ve been here, I have never heard any shootings out here," said Kimberly Chambers, a resident in the neighborhood. "I feel like it’s safe for my kids to be out here, that’s why I picked this neighborhood."
Chambers had lived in the neighborhood for the past two years with her children and grandchildren she was surprised to see her calm neighborhood swarmed by the Punta Gorda Police Wednesday morning.
“I just pulled up and saw some police officers and I saw some feet in the doorway, other than that I mind my business,” Chambers said.
Police were called to the home right down the street from Chambers' home because someone was suffering from a gunshot wound in the thigh.
“I don’t know him all all," Chambers said. “ but wether we know each other or not we speak.”
The unidentified victim was transported to the hospital, and Fox 4 hasn't received an update on the person's condition. However Punta Gorda Police said there aren't any suspects.
Fox 4'scrime reporter Briana Brownleeasked police if there was an accident or self inflected, police said they can't answer that at this time because the case is still under investigation.
“It’s not that kind of neighborhood," said Mu Jahad, a man who has lived in the neighborhood for all his life. “Shooting is not a big thing here.”
Even though there are still many questions surrounding the shooting everyone in the neighborhood is hoping for the same thing.
“Isolated incident, I hope he is okay," Jahad said.
“Thank God he’s alive," Chambers said.
If you have any information about this crime contact Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-8477
