Police Search East Valley For Shooter

Police are investigating another shooting in Coachella.

The latest happened Friday afternoon at the Valley Meat Market off Avenue 52 and Highway 111.

Police say the suspect and the victim got into an argument inside the store.

“They exited the store got into a physical confrontation where one of them pulled out a hand gun and shot the other one,” said Deputy Herlinda Valenzula of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.

The victim was shot twice in the chest.

He was taken to the hospital in critical condition and is expected to live.

Deputies are looking for 37 year old Javier Lua.

He’s described as 5’9″ and about 180 pounds.

He’s believed to be armed and dangerous.

The suspect left the scene in this truck to his home in the Las Palmeras mobile park.

Deputies first searched the park for the suspect but couldn’t find him.

Officers searched his truck and home for a gun, after getting a warrant, but came up empty.

They’re now trying to determine whether or not he left in a vehicle or if he left on foot.

This shooting comes as a surprise to Lua’s neighbors.

“Everytime I wake up in the morning he says ‘hello, hello’ that’s it,” says neighbor Jose Quantero.

The shooting comes only days after a man was shot in the leg in Coachella and weeks after 3 other shootings in the area.

Unlike the last shootings, however, this one happened during the day.

The recent violence has resident asking for change.

“Bring more officers to the Coachella valley. Bring them again, bring more so we can be safe for our children and us,” says Coachella resident Christina Sanchez.

Riverside County Deputies want anyone with any information on the suspect to call them.