Drug Plant Burns To Ground

DESERT HOT SPRINGS – Desert Hot Springs police and residents are on alert.

One neighborhood has seen an increase in violence — with 3 shooting deaths in less than 2 months.

Now the search continues for the suspect who gunned down the latest victim Thursday night.

In this morning’s crime alert, Eddie quezada talks to residents who say the rise in crime is a scary situation.

police say 28-year-old eduardo ross lopez was shot to death outside of this apartment complex on calle las tiendas thursday night.

This is the third shooting over the past month and a half, all within a quarter-mile of each other.

On february fourth, a clerk at the super one food mart just down the street was shot and killed by a robber.

And two weeks later, 34-year-old joseph cotton was shot and killed after suspects broke into his home on calle azteca.

“there have been a lot of issues up here as far as drugs and robberies in this time frame and we are going to be looking into it,” said capt. bob.”I’m sure there’s going to be more directed control in this area.”

police tell us lopez was sitting on these stairs when shots rang out.

You can see the bullet holes at the top of the stairway.

We spoke with residents who say this latest string of violence has them fearing for their lives.

[notes:sot@24:15]

“si, tenenmos miedo…”

this woman, who did not want to be identified or even show her face, tells us the neighborhood wasn’t like this three months ago.

She says a lot of people started moving in and that’s when the problems started happening.

She’s afraid because there are many children living in the apartments, including her own.

Other neighbors refused to go on camera for fear of retaliation.

Last night’s shooting suspect was last seen leaving the scene of the crime in a dark colored mini van.

He is described as a hispanic male in his late teens or early twenties, wearing light-colored clothing.

If you have any information, you are asked to call police.