Cops probe Calverton gunfire link to shooting victim

Riverhead police are investigating whether a gunshot victim found in Calverton Sunday night is linked to a burglary a short time earlier in the hamlet where a homeowner told investigators he fired a warning shot at the robber.

Police received a call at 4:11 p.m. from a River Road resident who said someone had broken into his shed and stole tools, Riverhead police said in a statement. About six hours later, the resident called Riverhead police again to report a second burglary of the shed.

The homeowner told responding officers that he went outside with a shotgun and “fired a warning shot” at the burglar, who fled, police said. The resident followed the burglar to the Calverton Hills section of Calverton, police said.

Shortly afterward, authorities said, a shooting victim in Calverton Hills was reported to Suffolk police. The gunshot victim was taken to Stony Brook University Hospital for treatment of injuries that were not considered life-threatening.

“There is an ongoing investigation to determine if the two incidents are linked,” Riverhead police said in the statement.