Gang link suspected in Atwater shooting

A man in a red shirt was shot Monday afternoon in a residential neighbored on the northeast side of Atwater, the police department reported.

The victim, a 22-year-old man believed to be from out of the area, was shot once in the leg around 2:30 p.m. in the area of Nashua and Kelso streets on the northeast side of Atwater. He was flown to an area hospital, Lt. Samuel Joseph told the Sun-Star in a telephone interview.

Multiple shots were fired from a .40-caliber handgun, striking the victim in the in leg once, Joseph said.

Police said the injury does not appear to be life-threatening.

“We don’t know if the victim is involved in gangs, but we believe the ones responsible for the shooting are likely involved in gangs,” Joseph said.

Police said the victim was wearing a red T-shirt while walking through a neighborhood with a reputation for gang-related activity. He may have been mistaken as a rival gang member, officers said.

No arrests have been made, and no suspect descriptions have been released.

Police shut down traffic for a short time at the Nashua and Kelso intersection and on Determine Drive while investigators examined the area, officers said.

This story was originally published February 8, 2016 at 2:40 PM with the headline "Gang link suspected in Atwater shooting."