Casper Man Charged In Drive-By Shooting

Casper police say a Casper man fired several shots into a home last month.

Joaquin Antonio Enriquez is charged with possession of a deadly weapon with unlawful intent and felony property destruction.

He has not had an opportunity to enter pleas to the charges.

According to an affidavit of probable cause recently filed in Natrona County District Court, police were called to St. Mary in the early morning hours of December 26 following several reports of gunfire.

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As police arrived in the area, officers noted a car quickly leaving the area. Police stopped the vehicle.

The driver of the vehicle told officers that Enriquez threatened to kill him earlier in the day following an argument over a woman. Both the driver and passenger were inside the residence when the shooting took place and said they fled after the initial shots out of fear.

Police searched the residence and found four bullet holes from rounds that apparently traveled through several rooms. They also found a single projectile.

Court documents state police learned Enriquez was "partying" at the residence a short time before the shooting. The argument apparently stemmed over a woman one of the residents at the apartment was seeing.

According to the affidavit, police went to Enriquez's residence and spoke to a neighbor who reported hearing someone pounding on an apartment door yelling Enriquez's name. The neighbor then heard five or six loud pops that could have been gunfire but didn't think anything of it until law enforcement arrived at the scene.

Detectives later discovered bullet holes in the windows of Enriquez's apartment.

The affidavit states detectives searched Enriquez's apartment and found six bullet holes in the house. Investigators were able to recover two projectiles from inside the apartment.

Police also found two pistol casings inside a car belonging to Enriquez's girlfriend.

Speaking with police, Enriquez said he'd gotten into an argument with one of the residents at the St. Mary apartment a few days prior to the alleged shooting.

On the night of the shooting, Enriquez and a friend went from a bar to a friend's house on Walsh Dr. As Enriquez was walking to his vehicle, another car was approaching and turned its headlights off. Enriquez told police he began running and, as he was jumping a fence, heard shots being fired.

The affidavit states Enriquez told police he "knew it was them" and that he got mad. Enriquez told police he went to his residence, retrieved his pistol and went to the apartment on St. Mary.

Court documents state Enriquez told police he tried to shoot the area of the house where those inside would hear rounds hitting, but wouldn't injure anyone. He eventually returned home and hid his gun in a grill.

Enriquez denied having any additional details as to who shot at him while he was in the area of S. Walsh Drive or who shot his apartment.