By Jim Hannah
Enquirer staff writer

Newport Police detective Ken Hall lifts fingerprints from the door of a car involved in a drive-by shooting in the 300 block of Elm Street about 11:50 p.m. Monday. Three police officers were in the 300 block of Elm investigating a complaint that a suspicious vehicle was in the area. The car fled the scene and was abandoned nearby. No one was injured in the shootout. (Patrick Reddy photo)

NEWPORT - Police are evaluating whether to use more powerful guns after several officers were nearly hit during a drive-by shooting.

"We will re-evaluate the type of rounds we use," said Newport Police Chief Tom Fromme.

The occupants of a Dodge Spirit opened fire on several officers in the 300 block of Elm Street shortly before midnight Monday. The officers returned fire, but Fromme said the suspects got away after some of the officers' bullets didn't penetrate the side of the car.

Newport officers currently carry 9mm pistols while many Northern Kentucky police departments have converted to the more powerful .40-caliber.

No one was injured in the drive-by shooting, or an earlier shooting Monday night that detectives believe might be related.

Newport police officers were patrolling a housing project on the city's west side when they were called to Triangle Court about 10:20 p.m. to break up a fight between two women. While they were investigating the fight, the officers heard gunfire. As they ran in the direction of the shots, they found a wrecked silver 2001 Pontiac Grand Am riddled with bullet holes. There was a semi-automatic handgun in the car and several shell casings were found on the ground.

Andreius M. Wimzie, 19, and Deshaun Allen Jackson, 22, both of Covington, were arrested after they came back to claim the Grand Am, said Capt. Phil Liles, spokesman for Newport police. Wimzie and Jackson were each arraigned Tuesday on a charge of wanton endangerment. A judge set their bond at $50,000 each.

An hour after the first shooting, dispatchers received a 911 call about a suspicious Dodge Spirit circling the 300 block of Elm Street. The caller said the occupants might have been involved in the shooting of the Grand Am.

Three officers responded to Elm Street. As the person who called 911 pointed out the Spirit, the car stopped in front of the residence. Officers told the person to go inside before they took cover.

A shootout ensued.

The bullet-riddled Spirit, with its back windshield nearly shot out, made it a few blocks before the driver and occupants abandoned it in an alley off the 800 bock of Isabella Street.

Covington police arrested one man suspected in the drive-by shooting a short time later on the Licking Valley Girl Scout Bridge, also known as the 12th Street bridge. A second suspect turned himself in to Newport police. Officers are still searching for two more people believed to be involved.

Curtis Maurice Jackson, 19, of Covington and Leon T. Marshall, 26, of Wilder are each charged with two counts of attempted murder and three counts of wanton endangerment. A judge set their bond at $100,000 each during their arraignment.

jhannah@enquirer.com