Palm Springs Police On Lookout For Gang Member Armed With AK-47

Palm Springs police were searching for a known gang member reportedly armed with an AK-47 assault rifle on Friday.

Police arrived in the Desert Highland and Gateway Estates area around 8 a.m. responding to a report from a resident of a man with a rifle.

A plain-clothed police officer saw a car matching the description given by the resident on the 300 block of Palm Vista Dr., said Officer Rhonda Long.

The suspect got out of the car, saw the officer, and ran into the home, leaving a teenager behind along with a loaded, illegal assault rifle on the driver’s seat, she said. The teen was later released to his parents.

Police surrounded the house and eventually searched it for the suspect, but believe he ran out the back door before police could surround the house.

The detectives recovered the rifle and identified the suspect as a known gang member from the “Gateway Posse Crips” criminal street gang. They have not announced the name of the suspect and continue to investigate this case.

Detectives believe the man had assaulted someone with the rifle during some type of fight, but did not discharge it during the attack.

If you have any information on this case, call Palm Springs police.