Teen Critically Wounded In Shooting Near Indio High School

A shooting near Indio High School left a teenager in critical condition Thursday at Desert Regional Hospital.

The teenage boy was found with a gunshot wound to the head but the suspect got away.

The Indio Police responded to a shots fired call at around 2:10 p.m. on Clinton Street north of Granada Street.

The victim is still alive.

The principal at Indio High School warned students to aviod the crime scene.

But the school was never on lockdown.

Clinton Street was shutdown for several hours as the search for the shooter began.

“I tried to get a license plate,” said a witness who called 911 and wanted to remain anonymous. “I think I got three numbers — I’m not sure.”

A woman walking to her car saw it all happen.

She witnessed four or five teenagers running past her reportedly being chased by an armed man.

“They got away by the trash bin and they climbed over and the last individual didn’t make it,” she said. “He’s the one that got shot.”

Witnesses said they heard up to five gunshots.

“They took off fast in the car,” she said. “As far as I know, no one ever got out of the car.”

Another witness who didn’t want his face on camera said he watched the incident play out while walking home from the store.

“I (saw) that youngster in the middle of that dumpster with multiple gunshot wounds it seemed like one in the head,” he said.

The victim was still moving when paramedics arrived.

Authorities said the suspect escaped in a silver colored older model Toyota — possibly a Camry.

Two other people were also inside the car.

Authorities have not yet determined if the shooting is gang related — or if the victim knew the suspect.

“The only person that can offer us any information for exactly what happened is the victim himself, and we can’t rule out any possibilities at this time,” said Ben Guitron, with the Indio Police Department.

“He was right there on the corner and you could hear him moaning from the pain of the gunshots,” said a witness.

The total number of homicides in Indio this year would surpass last year’s number if the victim dies.

“He was shot down like an animal,” said a witness. “Heartless, senseless shooting. That’s all it was.”

The suspect is described as a 17 to 19 year old man possibly last seen wearing black pants and a white shirt.

Authorities have only released that the victim is a teenage boy.

Call the Indio Police with any information that could help solve this crime.