WARE TOWNSHIP, Ont. - A woman who was at home in Ware Township with her husband when an unknown individual opened fire on the house said she feels fortunate to be alive.
“I was just on the other side of the wall and when the spray came through I ran and ducked,” said Melissa Start. “Thankfully nothing hit me. I’m very lucky. We are all very lucky.”
Ontario Provincial Police are investigating after a lone individual opened fire on Start’s home on Ware North Road Tuesday afternoon just after 4 p.m.
Start recalled that she had just come home from work when the shooting began. Prior to this, Start said she and her husband witnessed someone driving down the road on a side-by-side vehicle at a high rate of speed.
“My husband flipped him the bird as he went by, basically saying: slow down, there are kids and animals out here,” Start said. “About 45 minutes later is when he came back and opened fire.”
There are numerous bullet holes in the front of the house, and a front window was shattered. Start recalled hearing four quick shots in succession, but she is not certain what kind of firearm was used. Small bullet holes can be seen on the outside walls but several bullets passed all the way through the house.
“About 10 minutes after this happened, my son got home off the school bus,” Start said. “I’m glad he wasn’t here. One of the bullets went through his bedroom and through the window at the back of the house.”
“It makes you feel like you’re going to have a heart attack,” Start continued. “It was very scary because we live in a quiet neighbourhood and we didn’t expect anything like this to happen. We know everybody out here and we are friends with everybody. We don’t have any enemies. It was very scary.”
According to a media release issued by the OPP Tuesday night, the lone individual driving the side-by-side was believed to be headed in the direction of One Island Lake.
Police were still on the scene Wednesday morning collecting evidence and examining the house.
“They’ve been really good,” Start said. “They were here really fast yesterday and here until late last night and back this morning. They are doing everything they can to help us out and figure out who did this.”
Police said there is no concern for public safety, as it appears to have been an isolated incident. But that does not alleviate the fear and panic that Start and her family experienced that afternoon.
“You hear stories about people who missed their bird and hit a shed or shoot from the road that you’re not supposed to do when you’re out hunting,” Start said. “But as far as hitting someone’s house or purposefully shooting at someone’s house, I’ve never heard of that out here.”
Start is pleading with the person responsible to go to police, because she is confident it will not be long before this individual is apprehended.
“If you’re out there, report yourself, bring yourself in,” she said. “There were a lot of people who saw you. It won’t take long before they find you.”
Members of the public are urged to contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 should they have any information regarding this incident. Anonymous information can be reported to Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-222-8477.
