Police: Car break-ins happening near Fairmount Park where man was shot

One or more men suspected of breaking into cars in a Wichita neighborhood near 21st and Hillside fired shots at two men, injuring one of them, early Saturday morning.

Officers responded to a report of shots fired in the 1700 block of North Vassar at about 4 a.m. Saturday. They found a 37-year-old man shot in the stomach. He remained hospitalized in stable condition Monday.

A second man, 22, told police he was shot at while confronting three men who were breaking in cars in the area. He was not hit.

Officers chased three suspects, catching an 18-year-old and 20-year-old. They are being held on charges of aggravated battery, aggravated assault, larceny and destruction of property. A rifle was recovered from one of the men. One man is still being sought.

Police spokesman Lt. James Espinoza said he didn’t know whether the shooting victim had confronted the men before being shot.

“You have to be careful when confronting anybody … these days,” he said, suggesting that residents who see a crime being committed call 911.

Four vehicles were broken into, he said. One vehicle was hit by a stray bullet.

The two arrested men are gang members, Espinoza said.

Officers “did a fantastic job of setting up a perimeter” to catch the men, he said. “It’s always very stressful when you’re chasing somebody who’s armed.”

This story was originally published September 22, 2014 at 1:11 PM with the headline "Police: Car break-ins happening near Fairmount Park where man was shot."