From Chelsea Phua:
Sacramento County Sheriff's officials say they believe that suspects who fired gunshots at the downtown county jail Sunday night were trying to launch an inmate escape.
Sacramento police are working to identify the suspects, who were trying to shoot out the bullet-proof jail windows at about 10:25 p.m., department spokesman Sgt. Tim Curran said.
The suspects drove past the jail at 651 I St. and fired several shots, which drew the attention of a deputy standing outside the building on the second-floor terrace. After the shots were heard, the deputy saw a light-colored vehicle leave the scene and drive westbound on I Street toward Interstate 5.
About an hour later, Sacramento police found a stolen vehicle near Arden Way and Evergreen Street matching the description of the vehicle that the deputy saw leaving the shooting scene.
Meanwhile, deputies ordered an inmate lockdown at the jail and informed the police department of the shooting. Outside the building on Sixth Street, investigators found shell casings.
Windows on fifth and sixth floors were struck by the gunfire, but no bullets penetrated the windows and no inmates or jail staff were injured by the shots, authorities said. During a search of the common areas accessible to inmates on both floors, deputies discovered items that led them to believe that the shooting was linked to an escape plan by some inmates, Curran said. The jail's intelligence unit is investigating and Curran said arrests of several inmates involved in the reported scheme are imminent.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Alert at 916-443-HELP or send a text message tip by texting to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter SACTIP followed by the tip information. Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.
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