Shooting Rocks Quiet Ephrata Neighborhood, Five Suspects Questioned By Police

The sound of gunfire shattered the normally-quiet streets of an Ephrata neighborhood on Thursday evening.

The Ephrata Police Department says officers responded to reports of shots fired in the 1100 block of 2nd Avenue Northeast near Linda Ridge Loop at around 6 p.m.

After establishing that there were no injuries, officers identified two vehicles reportedly connected to the shooting at the parking lot of an apartment complex where witnesses say several people wearing masks were involved in an altercation and at least one shot was fired.

A short time later, police say one of the vehicles connected to the shooting was involved in a head-on collision on Linda Ridge Loop, after which, its occupants all entered the other vehicle involved in the shooting which fled the scene. The occupant of the vehicle that was struck by the suspect vehicle was not injured.

Later in the evening, officers with the Quincy Police Department reportedly spotted the suspect vehicle that had fled the scene of the collision and detained all five of its occupants for questioning.

Officials did not provide any identifying information regarding the suspects or say if any of them were cited or arrested in connection to either the vehicle accident or the shooting.

Investigators are asking anyone who might have information about the shooting, the vehicle accident, or the suspects involved in either incident, to contact police at 509-762-1160.

Police added that the shooting appears to be an isolated incident and there is no danger to the general public.