The shooting was reported shortly before noon on Thursday.
Update: A Holyoke Gas & Electric employee was injured by flying glass in a shooting. More information has been added below.
HOLYOKE - A Holyoke Gas & Electric employee was cut by flying glass after an unknown person shot through his windshield Thursday afternoon.
The man suffered cuts on his face after the bullet entered the windshield and exited through the back window, Police Capt. Arthur R. Monfette Jr. said.
The bullet came very close to hitting the man in the head. He was working with a crew of other employees who were making repairs to a gas line at the time, Monfette said.
"This was probably a gang thing. It came very close to killing or seriously wounding a city worker," Monfette said.
The shooting happened at about 12:30 p.m. near the intersection of Main and Spring streets. Police are now canvassing the area and hoping to talk to witnesses who saw the shooting, Monfette said.
Although it happened in the middle of the afternoon on a busy street, no one has come forward with a description of the shooter, he said.
Police do have a description of a car that sped away after the incident. Monfette did not have the information about the vehicle immediately available.
Police have found numerous shell casings in a vacant lot on Main Street, across from the intersection of Spring Street. Monfette said all those casings came from one gun but more than one shooter could have been involved since not all firearms eject casings.
Lt. Michael J. Higgins said police continue to probe the shooting, “It’s an active scene,”."
A witness at the scene reported seeing numerous shells in the area of Main and Spring, perhaps as many as 15 to 20.
The damaged truck was seen at the Racing Mart at the corner of Cabot and Main Streets, which is next to Spring Street.