5-Year-Old Upgraded To Serious Condition After Indio Shooting

An Indio boy was upgraded to serious condition Tuesday morning following a shooting Monday night in a residential area a few blocks away from the Riverside County Fair and National Date Festival.

The Indio Police Department responded to the shots fired call just after 5:45 p.m. on the 46500 block of Monte Verde Street.

The 5-year-old boy was shot in the stomach, and and may have been hit in crossfire as two vehicles shot at each other, authorities said.

“We hope and pray for the best for the child,” said Ben Guitron, with the Indio Police Department.

Family members drove the boy to JFK Memorial Hospital, and he was then airlifted to Loma Linda University Medical Center, where he was listed in critical condition.

Monday morning, Indio police reported his condition had improved.

“It’s horrifying,” said Pastor Carl McPeters, with Kyriakos Christian Center, a church across the street from where the shooting occurred. “Our children are our treasures and they have to be protected, and we have to do everything within our powers to protect our children.”

Police are looking for a blue truck and a dark-colored Chevy Blazer with tinted windows that may have been involved in the shooting.

If you have any information that could help solve this crime, call the Indio Police Department or Valley Crimestoppers at (760) 341-STOP. Your call can remain anonymous and you could be eligible for a reward.