Second Shooting In Cathedral City

Cathedral City police are investigating another shooting near the intersection of Ramon and Date Palm.

This second attack happened Saturday night around 7:45 p.m. in front of the Rancho Vista Plaza Complex.

A security guard spotted someone there drinking and hiding in a stairwell, according to police.

Later in the parking lot the guard approached the man. There was an apparent scuffle, when the suspect pulled a gun and shot the guard multiple times and ran off.

The security guard is in the hospital, no word on his condition.

This was the second shooting in the area of Date Palm and Ramon on Saturday.

Around 4:00 a.m., a man was shot in the head while driving. His car kept going and crashed into a wall.

Friends helping the man when officers arrived told police he was involved in an argument at a party on Avenida Del Padre. He was thenchased by another vehicle after he left and that’s when he was shot.

“It’s unfortunate the guy got shot. I don’t ever like to hear about that, but it happens,” said Ed Marinko, who owns a restaurant a couple doors down from the scene.

The driver was taken to Desert Regional Medical center in critical condition. No word on his identity.

Witnesses did not cooperate with police, so investigators have no suspect descriptions.

These shootings come less than two weeks after Cathedral City leaders let go of 4 public safety officers, as part of a recent round of layoffs.

“It’s not something we can prevent unless we quit cutting our police, quit cutting our fire department,” said Marinko, whoaddsthat the decision to cut officers to help fill the city’s $8 million dollar budget hole is spreading law enforcement too thin.

Call Valley Crimestoppers at 760-341-STOP if you know anything about either of these shootings. You can remain annonymous and be eligable for a $1,000 reward.