Three juveniles charged in June drive-by shooting

Three juveniles were taken into custody Wednesday in connection with a June 29 drive-by shooting at 401 S. Hanover St. in which a woman was injured critically after being shot in the head, the Cape Girardeau Police Department reported.

The victim remains in a hospital and is being treated for "substantial injuries," the department reported in a news release Wednesday. Juvenile charges have been filed against the suspects.

"Certification as adults for this matter is currently being pursued," the release stated. "These charges are a result of a lengthy investigation conducted by the Cape Girardeau and Bollinger County Major Case Squad and follow-up investigations by the Cape Girardeau Police Department."

The victim -- later identified as Paige Smith of Cape Girardeau -- was sitting on the home's porch with two other women when the shooting occurred, authorities at the scene said at the time.

Smith was the only person injured when several shots were fired from a northbound vehicle occupied by "multiple people."

Police were sent to the residence at 2:46 p.m. the day of the shooting, and multiple shell casings were marked near the scene.

Because they are juveniles, the names of the people charged Wednesday were not released, pending their certification as adults, Sgt. Adam Glueck of the Cape Girardeau Police Department said in an email to the Southeast Missourian.

In another email message, Glueck said police are investigating whether the June 29 shooting is connected to any other recent shootings, including one Tuesday night in the parking lot of an apartment building at 210 S. Hanover St.

In that shooting, a 22-year-old man was shot once on the side of his body. The man remained hospitalized Wednesday morning, Glueck said. As of Wednesday night, no arrests had been made in that case.

Emily Priddy contributed some information for this story.

klamb@semissourian.com

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