[12/5/01]Police assured residents near City Park their homes are safe despite at least five shots fired Saturday night at an apartment house in the area.

“I have children and I want to know if it is safe to let them go out,” said National Street resident Debra Ross, one of the nearly 40 people who attended a Drummond Street Neighborhood Association meeting called Tuesday night.

Police recovered seven shell casings and identified five bullet holes in the apartment building at 3321 Drummond and closed off a section of the street for two hours after the shots were fired. No one was injured and no arrests have been made.

“Yes, your neighborhood is safe,” said Detective Randy Naylor, who is heading up the investigation. “This was an isolated incident.”

Naylor told residents that he believes the shooting was drug-related and that the shooter actually fired into the wrong apartment.

Naylor said that the shots narrowly missed the bed of one of the two children who live in the apartment. No one was home at the time.

Police had said Monday that the shooting may have been domestic-related, but further investigation led them to another apartment where neighbors said the resident had been seen arguing loudly outside of the building with another man on Veterans Day.

“I’m going to get the person who is responsible for that shooting,” Naylor said.

Residents said loud music was a problem and they suspect drugs were being sold from the apartments.

“What can we do besides stand by helplessly?” asked Susan Morang.

“Call 911,” said Deputy Chief Richard O’Bannon, who also attended the meeting.

Naylor assured residents that the problems in the complex were limited to the apartment police believe was the actual target of the shooter.

Logan Peay, another Drummond Street resident, said the neighborhood association should send a letter to the owners of the apartment.

According to county tax records, the property is owned by the J. Varner estate. Jim Hobson, a Varner family member and manager of Varner Real Estate, confirmed the family owns the building, but said there is little the family can do.

“I certainly sympathize with them, but as a Realtor, my hands are tied,” Hobson said this morning. “We can’t just throw somebody out on the street.”

The shooting Saturday was two blocks from City Park and Vicksburg High School where shots were fired into the air near Memorial Stadium after a football game Friday night. No arrests have been made in that investigation.

Naylor is also the lead investigator in the Oct. 23 shooting and armed robbery at the Direct General insurance office, 1825 N. Frontage Road. Naylor would not discuss the particulars of that investigation, but said he is confident an arrest will be made soon.

Employee Zenobia Harris, 46, was shot once in the chest and once in the arm with a handgun after a woman entered the insurance office and demanded money. An undisclosed amount of cash was reported taken and the woman, who was wearing a mask, left the strip of small offices and businesses in a silver or gray Oldsmobile with a Claiborne County tag.