According to Sgt. Wayne Delk of the Cobb County Police Department, on June 20 at around 2:15 a.m., officers responded to a report of of gunshots in in the Paces Farm subdivision in West Cobb.

A homeowner had followed a carload of individuals he suspected of breaking into his car on West Sandtown Road. Once he’d followed them to Paces Farm off Hoyle Farm Drive, one of the suspects reportedly fired several shots at the victim. The victim was not struck and was able to escape back to his home.

The Cobb police department called a town hall meeting for tomorrow, Wednesday, June 26 at 7 p.m. at McEachern United Methodist Church to discuss the recent increase of auto breakings in West Cobb.

The press release from Sgt Delk included the following caution:

The Cobb County Police Department would like to remind the public to be as safe as possible throughout daily activities and even when in the comfort of your own home. We want to remind the public to help prevent becoming a victim of theft, especially entering auto thefts, by removing items from your vehicle at the end of the day when you get home and locking your car doors. Whether you take these precautions or not if you find yourself the victim of one of these crimes, we would caution against confronting and/or following criminals. Though not all cases are the same, it is best to not chance becoming a victim of a shooting in addition to a victim of a theft. Please call 911 as soon as possible and provide as much of a description as possible. The sooner we are alerted, the sooner we can respond. Be the best witness possible without putting yourself in harm’s way.

The auto breakin and gunshots in West Cobb are under active investigation, and anyone with information is asked to phone the Crimes Against Persons Unit at 770-499-3945 or to email cobbpolicecrimetips@cobbcounty.org.