Nearly two weeks after police found two cars riddled with bullet holes near the Railyard in the early morning hours of April 2 , investigators have arrested a 34-year-old Lincoln man for his alleged role in the incident, according to police.
Police found Louis Benson sitting in one of the vehicles damaged by gunfire at 2 a.m. that morning, when officers were called to the 600 block of Canopy Street for a report of gunshots, Lincoln Police Sgt. Chris Vollmer said.
Investigators recovered more than 70 spent shell casings at the scene — some of which were later matched to a Glock handgun found in the car with Benson, who has a previous felony conviction barring him from possessing a firearm, Vollmer said.
Police arrested the 34-year-old Thursday afternoon on suspicion of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and took him to the Lancaster County jail.
Vollmer said Benson could face additional charges for allegedly firing the gun that morning. And, he said, police are seeking additional suspects in the shootout.
Most dangerous cities in Nebraska
Dangerous Cities in Nebraska
See how your hometown ranks among the most dangerous cities in Nebraska. Ratings have been determined according to the number of violent crimes per 1,000 people in cities of at least 10,000, with violent crime being classified as murder, forcible rape, robbery and aggravated assault. The numbers are for 2019, the most recent year for which the
6. South Sioux City
With 30 violent crimes in 2019 and a population of 12,771 (the smallest on our list), the city in northeast Nebraska had 2.35 violent crimes per 1,000 people.
Photo:Â An RV park in South Sioux City on the Missouri River.Â
ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO
5. Scottsbluff
The city of 15,862 had 53 violent crimes for a rate of 3.34 per 1,000 in 2019.
Photo: Gering Police Officer Jordan McBride talks with Scottsbluff Police Officer Michael Modeac as he puts up crime scene tape at the scene of an armed standoff in Scottsbluff in June 2021.Â
STAR-HERALD FILE PHOTO
4. North Platte
With a population of 23,705 and 89 violent crimes, the city had a rate of 3.75 per 1,000.
Photo: Union Pacific train engines line up outside a service building in North Platte.
FILE PHOTO
3. Lincoln
The Star City had a population of 291,128 with 1,115 violent crimes, a rate of 3.83 per 1,000.
Photo: Police in Lincoln investigate a shooting near the intersection of 14th and E streets in August 2019.Â
JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO
2. Grand Island
With a population of 51,821 and 236 violent crimes, the largest of the Tri Cities had a 2019 rate of 4.55 per 1,000 people.
Photo: Grand Island police and State Patrol personnel investigate after a body was found in a Grand Island yard in August 2020.Â
GRAND ISLAND INDEPENDENT FILE PHOTO
1. Omaha
In 2019, the state's largest city at 470,481 people had 2,833 violent crimes for a rate of 6.13 per 1,000.
Photo: Omaha police and University Police guard the entrance to the Nebraska Medicine Emergency room after an Omaha police officer was shot at Westroads Mall in March 2021.Â
WORLD-HERALD FILE PHOTO
A note about the numbers
With eight violent crimes in 2019, Boys Town topped the state at 13.82 per 1,000 people, which is a misleading stat because it only had a 2019 population of 579.
Photo:Â The statue at the entrance to Boys Town. It doesn't take much to skew the numbers.Â
ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO
Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter
Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email.