By Larry Judkins
Glenn County Observer
An early Sunday morning drive-by shooting in southeast Orland resulted in one person being transported by ambulance to Enloe Medical Center in Chico.
The incident seemed to be foreshadowed by a report of possible gunshots around midnight in the general area of Woodward Avenue and Walker Street.
It was decided that the sounds heard were actually fireworks.
Then, around 3:30 a.m., Orland police officers were dispatched to 1309 Brookside Drive for another report of gunshots.
This time, the report was accurate.
Brookside Drive runs north and south, just south of the fairgrounds. Brookside is immediately to the east of Fairview Street, where the main entrances of both Fairview School and WestHaven Assisted Living are located.
At 3:35 a.m., volunteers with the Orland Fire Department began receiving messages regarding the incident.
Truck 29 announced that it was responding at 3:40 a.m.
The fire dispatcher in Corning said, “You are responding to 1309 Brookside Drive. Scene is secure for gunshot victim. Your medic unit was Westside, responding from Orland.”
Moments later, Truck 40 announced that it was also responding.
Due to heavy radio static, a law enforcement officer made a mostly unintelligible comment about finding “no vehicles” that may have recently left the scene of the shooting.
At 3:43 a.m., a volunteer on Truck 29 stated it had just arrived at the scene. Four minutes later, Truck 40 did the same.
Seconds later, Truck 29 said they were available and returning to the firehouse. Westside Ambulance, the Truck 29 volunteer said, was transporting one victim.
Also on board the ambulance was a firefighter who went along to assist the ambulance personnel. A volunteer from Truck 40 stated they were heading to Enloe to pick up the rider.
Truck 29 was back in quarters at 3:52 a.m. This was the 618th incident to which the Orland Volunteer Fire Department responded so far this year.
At about 4:15 a.m., Orland Police Officer Ryan Martindale told the Glenn County Sheriff’s dispatcher that he was on his way to Enloe Medical Center, presumably to conduct interviews and/or collect evidence.
Minutes later, Orland Police Officer Edgar Pinedo, who also responded to the shooting, went off duty.
Roughly 45 minutes after saying he was heading to Chico, Officer Martindale said he was returning to Orland.
No suspects’ names were given over the air on Sunday, and not even the name of the shooting victim was mentioned. A bullet, however, was recovered from the scene.
At 7:30 a.m., Officer Martindale went to a neighboring house on Brookside Drive, presumably to interview potential witnesses.
It is hoped that more information will be made available on Monday, Nov. 1.
The Glenn County Observer 