Prius Drive-By Story Gets Weirder as Possible Second Victim Emerges

After we ran the story this morning about the cyclist who was shot with a pellet gun by people in a light blue Prius, one of our readers recognized a hauntingly familiar connection to a similar incident that had happened to his friend around the same time. His friend, Austinite Jason Goodrich, wrote in to describe his encounter.

Goodrich was walking downtown around 3rd and Nueces on a Saturday one month ago when he was also shot by a pellet gun.

"The pellet just grazed my arm, but caused me to bleed and created a mark that I still have today," he told us.

Upon being struck, Goodrich turned around and saw two cars from which the pellet could have been fired—one was a light blue Prius.

At the time, Goodrich was in shock—who wouldn't be after suffering such an inexplicable assault?—and, not knowing which of the two cars were responsible, didn't record either license plate number. The date of the downtown attack was May 2nd—the Southwest Parkway shooting happened on May 1st.

"When I got shot, I turned and looked and saw two cars, one of which was a light blue Prius," he wrote. "Because I didn't know which car it was and because I was in a bit of shock, I wasn't able to write down the license plate and I didn't contact the police. I just sent the police an e-mail now that I've seen that I'm not the only one."

"I mean, I guess it's nice they're concerned about the welfare of our planet," he added. "But it would be nice if they could stop shooting people that live on it."

Contact the author of this article or email tips@austinist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Allen Y Chen in News on June 12, 2009 3:10 PM 0 Comments

Comments [rss]

kelsoATX

I think people read too much into the fact that these little pellet gun shooting b*stards are driving around in a prius. How does driving a hybrid car mean anything other than the fact that your car gets slightly better gas mileage than the rest of us? My car gets about 38 mpg, does that mean I'm almost saving the planet as much as a prius driver?

leggyblonde

"Goodrich speculates that perhaps there's a hybrid-driving out there."

What does this mean?

goodie

I think that comment was a typo. I actually said that I speculate there's a serial-prius-shooter in our midst.

_Sean_

Not excusing shooting people with pellets but I have witnessed some pretty aggressive bikers. We actually had one doing his best to follow us up Congress and be a complete jerk-off. He deserves more than a pellet.

seth

You guys are completely missing the conceptual art piece's point-- 'moderately.' The occupants of that hybrid car aren't trying their hardest to 'save the planet.' In fact, they are expressing disdain for those who are choosing more earth-friendly transportation modes- walking and bicycling..

But their anger is tempered. They don't want to express it too strongly, so instead of using a Desert Eagle .50 caliber pistol, they're shooting people with a bb gun.

Folks. Wake up. It's some high school kids. They have access to the family car. It's a hybrid. They're out fucking with people and it doesn't at all relate to the vehicle they're driving.

Seth

Bots.One

Hopefully these assailants don't procede to doing real drive-by shootings with real guns. (and real cars, for that matter.)

Thinman

I wonder if there is connection between this and the windows damaged at the library about a month ago? The thick glass had deep, rounded hollows with a small hole. I would assume there was some evidence collected by the cops at the time.

kirktastic

U-turn in Weeds bought a fleet of Priuses. "They're real quiet. Good for sneaking up on mother effers."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZJjTEmXaf8