Police talk with Kuker's neighbors at neighborhood meeting

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - The Shorewood Neighborhood Association had a Fort Wayne police officer at its annual meeting Monday night, in hopes of easing concerns from neighbors over the shooting at the house of David Kuker in March.

Shorewood Neighborhood Association President Debbie Oldakowski said she and other board members had been receiving many questions about the shooting.

"We haven't had an officer here since we became part of the city," Oldakowski said.  "We do have a liaison who kept us informed during the whole crisis, but I felt it was important for [an officer} to come to the annual meeting."

Steve Reed, a deputy police chief with the Fort Wayne Police Department, assured the 25 people at the meeting that Shorewood is a safe neighborhood, and suggested people to get to know their neighbors. 

"I have nine families watching my home when I'm gone," Reed said to the crowd. 

He also said the shooting at the Kuker house, and at the shots fired at the home of Jeffrey A. Goeglein , are isolated incidents.

Goeglein, who lives in a subdivision just east of Shorewood, and Kuker work at the Faegre Baker Daniels law firm. 

"These two particular incidents, the Fort Wayne Police Department does not believe they were random," Reed said.

Residents at the meeting said it was comforting to know that the police department continues to have a presence in their neighborhood, and that the department patrols the area in un-marked cars.  Even though police say neighbors should not be concerned, one neighbor would like to know why.

"That would help," Doug Ambler said.  Ambler lives a few houses away from the Kuker family.  "As far as I know, they haven't tied it to anything particular, but that would help an awful lot if they would."

For now, Ambler will take the officer's advice, and get to know some of his other neighbors.

Monday afternoon, Fort Wayne Police Chief Rusty York did tell NewsChannel 15 the latest in the cases.  York said his department is in the "evidence analysis" phase of the two cases.

York said evidence was found at a nearby pond after a dive team searched it back on May 9.   However, he would not say what that evidence was.

The Kuker and Goeglein cases continue to be under investigation.  Anyone with any information is asked to call police or Crime Stoppers.