Police are searching for the "BB bandits."

A Ferguson Township Police Department press release said a series of pellet gun incidents have occurred in the township as well as Patton Township, State College and the university since Sept. 22. The September incident took place on the 1600 block of North Atherton Street, where one person sustained minor injuries, the release said.

The incident on campus occurred on Curtin Road near Pattee and Paterno Libraries, while the Patton Township incidents occurred on North Atherton Street, Vairo Boulevard and Waddle Road.

Sgt. John Wilson of the State College Police Department said there have been about a dozen incidents occurring within the borough, with targets ranging from bus windows to people.

Eric Bernier, the service director for CATA, said that on Oct. 11, bus service was suspended for the last hour at the north end of State College on the N and V routes, due to four shootings in a 20-minute span.

"It was kind of freaky. And it was a tough decision to suspend service," he said.

Bernier said the decision was made to protect the passengers on the buses, but at the same time, it made life a bit more difficult for people waiting for them.

"Six windows were broken in four different buses, but there were no injuries," Bernier said.

Bernier said it is possible to assume these four incidents were perpetrated by the same individuals.

"Some people were probably out for a joyride with a pellet gun. Someone was probably driving from campus out there," he said. "These BB bandits have been around for a couple of months."

CATA is not conducting its own investigation but is deferring any information it receives to the investigating police departments, Bernier said.

"We have the names of a few people we'd like to talk to, but we have nothing solid yet," said Detective John Conti of the Ferguson Township Police.

Conti believes there is more than one group committing the shootings, and that the penalties if the groups are caught could be severe. Conti said charges could range from criminal mischief, if there is property damage, to attempted homicide if someone is seriously injured.

"It is recklessly endangering someone's life," he said.

Bernier said, "I'm hoping whoever is doing it sees it isn't fun anymore or they get caught. Any leads reported to the police would be appreciated."

Passengers on the buses vaguely described the make of some vehicles they believe shots came from, and the Ferguson Township press release said the suspected vehicles are "a white Jeep Wrangler and a mid-sized black SUV."

Anyone with any information regarding these incidents should contact the State College Police Department at 814-234-7150, the Ferguson Township Police Department at 814-237-1172, Penn State Police Services at 814-863-1111 or the Patton Township Police Department at 814-234-0271.