Shots fired again, the 3rd time this year

Once again, shots rang out in Columbia Borough, the third time this year so far, and it’s only January. The police report issued yesterday raises more questions than it answers, so Columbia Spy has attempted to fill in some of the blanks from social media reports and submissions:

The sound of shots fired in the middle of the night awakened residents on Lawrence and adjoining streets, sending a wave of fear and anxiety through the neighborhood. The incident, which occurred at about 3 o’clock Monday morning, left residents shaken and concerned for their safety.

According to reports, the disturbance prompted a police response in and around the 200 block of Avenue N, where the shots were believed to have originated. (Avenue N runs between Lawrence and Perry Streets.) Police urged residents to stay indoors as they investigated the incident. Witnesses described seeing two individuals wearing hoodies and acting suspiciously in the vicinity of the shooting.

Police reportedly towed away a maroon car (make and model unknown) parked behind a neighbor’s house. One resident reported seeing surveillance photos showing the perpetrators.

According to residents, police spent hours at the scene, near a vehicle that may have been damaged in the incident. Residents questioned online why someone would shoot at a car in the dead of night.

The Columbia Borough Police Department has issued a report stating, “Evidence that validated the report was recovered by police.” The report is HERE.

At Tuesday night’s council meeting, Mayor Lutz and Chief Brommer did not comment on the incident. 

There were two previous shots fired/shooting incidents in the borough this month. On January 5, a man shot at a police dog when officers attempted to serve a warrant on the 300 block of Cherry Street, and on January 15, a juvenile was shot in the leg in Avenue G.

The 200 block of Avenue N

PUC approves rate increases for Columbia Water customers | Local News | lancasteronline.com

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission approved an operating revenue increase of 13.4% this week, after rejecting a 13.8% increase proposed by Columbia Water in April.

Columbia Water has not yet released adjusted customer rates, but new rate increases will be smaller than the increases originally proposed, according to the PUC.

Columbia Water originally requested a $999,900 increase in operating revenue, and a proposed increase in customer costs of 6.3% in the Columbia district and 22.9% in the Marietta district, according to PUC. The approved operating revenue increase is $971,180.

MORE:

https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/puc-approves-rate-increases-for-columbia-water-customers/article_4d852370-b6fc-11ee-a9dd-9766751b7bce.html

Columbia mayor urges council to adopt nuisance ordinance | Community News | lancasteronline.com

When: Columbia Council meeting, Jan. 9.

What happened: A recent hours-long standoff between a Columbia resident and police officers prompted Mayor Leo Lutz to urge council members to adopt a separate nuisance ordinance to make it easier to evict residential tenants.

Background: Police arrested Charles Harris Jan. 12 after he barricaded himself into a home to avoid receiving a warrant for a firearms violation. Harris shot at a police dog, who was not injured, before he was apprehended.

More: Police and code officers previously visited the address in the 300 block of Cherry Street, which is a rental home, Lutz said.

Quotable: “There has to be a way to stop this from happening,” Lutz said. “We go back to the same places time and time again.” The mayor estimated that 50% of borough residences are rental properties.

MORE:

https://lancasteronline.com/news/regional/columbia-mayor-urges-council-to-adopt-nuisance-ordinance/article_0b1754a2-b640-11ee-8097-e356d06c434e.html