Trucker Hurt, Snipers Sought

Tustin police Tuesday were looking for one or more youthful snipers following an incident in which a truck driver was slightly hurt by a BB-gun shot on the Santa Ana Freeway.

The driver, Howard Schimming, 43, of Norco, suffered slight abrasions from flying glass as either a BB shot or a pellet from a pellet gun shattered the side window of his truck about 4:20 p.m., said Tustin Police Sgt. Mike Shanahan.

Shanahan said Schimming’s truck was northbound on the Santa Ana Freeway, near the intersection of the Costa Mesa Freeway at the time. Shanahan said there is a four-story apartment complex near the scene, and he said police believe a young person, or several young persons, shot from the apartments.

“This sort of action could cause a serious accident, and if we can prove the action was intentional, it’s a felony,” said Shanahan. “We’ve had reports of other shootings in that area, either by BB guns or pellet guns, and we believe young people are involved.”