An unknown suspect shot at a vehicle in the Newhall Park parking lot Monday night, according to Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station deputies.
Sgt. Juan Muralles said a victim told deputies that their vehicle had been shot at by an unknown person in an SUV. Deputies received the call at 8:35 p.m. and responded a couple of minutes later, Muralles said.
Muralles said that two rounds may have hit the victim’s vehicle, but no one was injured. He declined to specify whether the victim was in the vehicle when it was shot, or if there had been any passengers.
Deputies were able to recover some evidence, Muralles said, but didn’t specify what was found.
Social media reports indicate there were youth baseball teams practicing at the park at the time of the shooting.
Kerri Lemmond, president of the William S. Hart Pony Baseball and Softball youth sports organization, emailed league families a statement about the shooting Tuesday morning, saying she’d reached out to the city of Santa Clarita about public safety at city parks.
“Please know that I have already reached out to the city to formally report the incident and to request a response and guidance from them,” Lemmond said in the email. “Public safety and security and city parks fall under the city’s jurisdiction and responsibility, and they are the appropriate authority to address these matters.”
Ken Striplin, Santa Clarita city manager, issued a statement Tuesday in a message from Communications Manager Carrie Lujan:
“The city of Santa Clarita works hand-in-hand with our partners at the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station. We have been in contact with the (Sheriff’s) Department, and they are investigating this incident and working to bring those responsible to justice. In the meantime, we have asked for an increased sheriff’s presence at Newhall Park and in the surrounding area. We understand the worry and concern that parents must be feeling, and we want to reassure them that this situation is being actively addressed through coordination with our law enforcement partners.”
