Police investigate after teenage girl shot in Desert Hot Springs

A 15 year old girl is in critical condition Friday after she was shot in Desert Hot Springs. The shooting happened between two cars just after 11:15 a.m. Friday at the Valero gas station at the corner of Palm Drive and Dillon Road.

The crime scene was cleared around 4 p.m. Friday and the intersection opened soon after.

The victim was taken to Desert Regional Medical Center after the incident.

During the investigation Desert Hot Springs police detained the driver of the victim’s vehicle. He was questioned and released, police said they’re still looking for the suspect.

“Right now we’re trying to ascertain what kind of suspect info that we can put out right now,” said Cmdr. Jim Henson, with the Desert Hot Springs Police Department.

At this time police do not have a description of the suspect. Police said the suspect’s vehicle is a grey compact car.

More than a dozen police and sheriff’s department vehicles were at the scene as authorities spent multiple hours investigating the scene.

Local resident Hector Quintana said he doesn’t like what’s going on in the city.

“That was in the daylight and you don’t know what can happen. People can shoot all over the place and keep running. There’s too many exits and openings around here,” Quintana said.

Quintana said he feels helpless with all this crime.

“I don’t know what else can be done because now everything is money, pretty much, and the city doesn’t have enough money. The state or the county, I don’t know who else is going to help out,” Quintana said.

But he hopes something is done before more people are hurt.