Washington DC cops find car sought in Nationals Park shooting

Washington, DC, police found the car linked to the Saturday night shooting at Nationals Park that wounded three and sent fans and players scrambling — but the suspects are still in the wind.

The gray Toyota Corolla, which sped away from the scene of the shooting outside the ballpark during a game between the Nationals and the San Diego Padres, was recovered in Georgetown near the Key Bridge on Monday, cops said.

“The vehicle is being forensically analyzed, and now our investigation continues,” DC Police Chief Robert Contee told WTOP-TV.

Police said the shooting was not tied to the ballgame and stemmed from a gunfight outside.

“I think it is safe to go to a baseball game,” Contee added. “I think, in that instance, we know now through looking through video that was a very targeted shooting. They were trying to shoot specific individuals.”

Vehicle connected to a shooting outside of Nationals Park.
Police located the gray Toyota Corolla, which sped away from the scene of the shooting outside the ballpark, in Georgetown.
Metropolitan Police Department
A member of the Washington Metropolitan Police Department puts down markings for bullet casings at the scene of a shooting outside Nationals Park on July 17, 2021 in Washington, DC.
A member of the Washington Metropolitan Police Department puts down markers for bullet casings at the scene of a shooting outside Nationals Park on July 17, 2021, in Washington, DC.
Alex Wong/Getty Images

Contee said cops questioned the owner of the car, who had loaned it to someone else and never got it back, the Washington Post reported.

The shots were heard inside the stadium during the sixth inning of the game, sending players sprinting off the field and into the stands to fetch their families.

Confused fans ducked behind seats for safety or bolted for the exits, while stadium officials urged the crowd to remain inside the park.

Frantic fans rush to evacuate after hearing gunfire at a baseball game outside Nationals Park on July 17, 2021.
Frantic fans rush to evacuate after hearing gunfire during a baseball game outside Nationals Park on July 17, 2021.
AP

No one inside the park was seriously injured.

Two people believed to be involved in the shooting later walked into a local hospital and were questioned, while a fan who was waiting for an Uber ride was wounded.

None of the victims had life-threatening injuries.

Police officers patrol a street near the Nationals Park stadium.
Cops questioned the owner of the car, who had loaned it to someone else and never got it back.
AFP via Getty Images
People are seen leaving the Nationals Park stadium.
No one inside the park was seriously injured amid the chaos.
AFP via Getty Images

Police are offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspects in the shooting.

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