Atwater man escapes injury in drive-by shooting

A 19-year-old Atwater man narrowly avoided injury early Tuesday when at least one bullet fired during a drive-by shooting passed through his clothing but missed his body, the Atwater Police Department reported.

Shots were fired about 12:40 a.m. from a white vehicle in the 2900 block of Secretariat Drive in Atwater, Lt. Samuel Joseph said.

Police believe at least four to five shots were fired, but there were no injuries, they said. The man was standing outside a home with another man when the shots were fired, police said.

The teenager said “he felt a bullet pass by him,” according to police.

“During the investigation, officers discovered that the sweater on the victim had been struck on the left arm with a bullet. The sweater had an entrance-exit hole,” Joseph said in a brief statement.

At least one round struck the windshield of a 2008 Toyota Camry parked nearby, police said. A description of the shooter and further details regarding the vehicle used in the shooting were not available Tuesday.

Officers believe the shooting may have been gang-related.

This story was originally published April 21, 2015 at 8:32 AM with the headline "Atwater man escapes injury in drive-by shooting."