Someone firing ball bearings at San Jose buildings, likely using a slingshot, has caused more than $500,000 in damage, and the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office is offering a $20,000 reward for an arrest and conviction, according to a release Thursday.
No injuries have been reported, but residences and businesses along the Highway 87 corridor have reported shattered windows and some structural damage. The District Attorney’s Crime Lab has been struck eight times, the DA's office said.
SAP Center and the San Jose Museum of Art also are among the buildings damaged. One woman had the windows in her car blown out, officials said.
"We are asking for the public’s help to stop this destructive and dangerous spree," District Attorney Jeff Rosen said in a statement. "This is not just property damage. People live and work behind those windows."
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There have been at least 20 incidences in 2021, and investigators believe the ball bearings are being launched by a slingshot at speeds that could cause a person severe injuries or even death, the DA's office said.
“We don’t know why they’re choosing the places they’re choosing, or the manner in which they’re traveling. What we do know is it’s getting worse, and we want it to stop,” said Michael Whittington of the Santa Clara County DA’s Bureau of Investigation.
Authorities said they don’t know if the person or group is shooting while driving on Highway 87 or on foot.
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“Someone knows. Someone knows,” Whittington added. “We’re hoping that [the reward] will sweeten the pot for them to say, ‘You know what, this is getting out of hand. We could kill somebody. Let’s stop it.'”
Anyone with information about the crime can submit an anonymous tip using Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers P3TIPS mobile app, by calling the tip line at 408-947-STOP, or online at www.svcrimestoppers.org.
