Shooting victim released from hospital

A man who was the victim of a shooting incident Thursday morning along Fairview Road has been released from the hospital and is recovering from a single gunshot wound.

The 19-year-old man told deputies Thursday that he confronted a man at a gravel pit along the roadway and was shot during the exchange.

The wound, located above the man’s left hip in the fleshy part of his abdomen, was non-life threatening and was caused by a small caliber gun, Undersheriff Scott Matheny said.

In the wake of the report, 10 deputies, Highway Patrol Troopers and police officers began a comprehensive search for a 1970s-era Ford truck that the victim said the man drove away in. They found no trace of the truck or the suspect, Matheny said.

He reiterated that investigators do not believe there is any danger to the public after the incident.

“We still believe that the public is safe,” he said. “There is no reason to be alarmed from this incident.”

Investigators intended to meet with the victim later Friday to talk about the shooting. They spent about six hours Thursday scouring the area where the shooting occurred for evidence after the man was taken to the hospital.

Two elementary schools, Rozet Elementary and Conestoga Elementary, were put on alert for about an hour while investigators scoured the area looking for the suspect.