2 injured in shooting

~ Both men hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries after incident on Hanover Street.

Two men were shot Wednesday afternoon in a Cape Girardeau neighborhood some residents claim to be riddled with crime.

Police responded to a call of shots fired near Good Hope and Hanover streets at 4:45 p.m., police Sgt. Barry Hovis said.

Two men, ages 22 and 28, suffered gunshot wounds and were taken separately in private vehicles to local hospitals.

The 22-year-old man, a Cape Girardeau resident, was shot once. The second victim, from Charleston, Mo., received multiple gunshot wounds. Neither man's injuries were considered life-threatening, according to Hovis.

The shooting occurred at or near 303 S. Hanover St. Police cordoned off the 300 block of Hanover Street and searched that home for evidence, Hovis said.

No one was in custody and police were not searching for any suspects.

"We feel like we've identified all the people that were there when this occurred," Hovis said. He could not confirm if the two victims shot each other. Wednesday night police officers were at the hospital for security purposes, Hovis said.

A late-model, silver Chevrolet that returned to the scene following the shooting was impounded, Hovis said. It was unknown what involvement if any the vehicle may have played in the shooting, but it was being searched for evidence.

Canvely Nicholson, who lives kitty-corner to 303 S. Hanover, said he heard five to six shots fired and dropped to the ground.

"I was afraid a bullet was going to hit me," he said.

When Nicholson got up, he claims to have seen a man running north up the street firing a rifle.

Hovis said at least two guns were used in the shooting and one was a handgun. He could not confirm if a second weapon was a rifle, adding that no weapons had been recovered.

Violence and illegal activities in the block are nothing out of the ordinary for some residents.

"I have a 10-year-old and a 12-year-old, and I have my dad pick them up after school cause I don't want them walking home in this neighborhood," said Kara Scruggs, of 317 S. Hanover St.

Her adult daughter, Taryn, said she once saw a woman attacked by a group of men in back of the Hanover Street address searched by police.

"Forget about 'Cops,' I just sit out on my porch," said Taryn Scruggs said.

Kara Scruggs believes drugs were being sold out of the Hanover Street house and said people go in and out of the home at all hours.

Investigators were looking into whether drugs played a role in the shooting, but no motive was established, Hovis said.

The neighborhood has seen an increase in crime, and extra patrols were done there this summer, he said.

"This area is known for lots of illegal activity," Cpl. Brad Smith, who regularly patrols the neighborhood, said at the scene. He said police were aware of complaints of drug activity against 303 S. Hanover St.

This was Cape Girardeau's fourth incident this year in which people were shot. A robbery in January led to the death of Jacob Bowers, 17, and two other people shot in separate, unrelated shootings survived their injuries.

Southeast Missourian writer TJ Greaney contributed to this report.

kmorrison@semissourian.com

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