Rockville family wakes to gunfire, 8 bullets hit home

ROCKVILLE, Md. — A Rockville family was shaken awake by gunfire early Sunday morning, as eight bullets struck their home, narrowly missing several family members.

The shots were fired just after 2 a.m. on Longwood Drive, where JJ Vera and his family have lived for over 40 years. Vera said the stray bullets hit their house with terrifying precision, two of the bullets piercing the front of the house and entering his parents' bedroom.

"One [bullet[ went under the bed, and I think it's still in the mattress," Vera said. "They couldn't get it [out] because it was so deep." 

Vera said one particular bullet willl keep him up at night. 

"This is the one that doesn’t let me sleep at night because it’s so close to my father’s head," he said pointing to a hole in his parents' bedroom. 

Vera’s father, who suffers from Alzheimer’s, and his mother, who has cancer, were sleeping in the room at the time the shots were fired. The bullets came alarmingly close to striking them both.

Another bullet hit a blazer and a boot in the hallway, preventing it from reaching Vera’s sister’s room. 

Vera believes the shots were fired from a car, as he heard what sounded like tires squealing shortly after the gunfire.

While no one was injured, the shooting has left the family rattled and struggling to understand why they were targeted. 

"They are fragile, quiet, don’t go out," Vera said of his parents. "So when trying to find a motive, that’s what we’re struggling with." 

Rockville police are investigating the incident, though they have not yet determined who fired the shots or if the family was even the intended target. Officers are speaking with neighbors and reviewing nearby surveillance footage to help identify the shooter(s). 

Anyone with information is urged to contact the Rockville Police Department.

For now, Vera and his family are left to rebuild their sense of safety after a terrifying wake-up call in the middle of the night.