One Dead In Shooting At Thermal Market

A man was shot to death Friday at a Thermal gas station.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department responded to a shots fired call just after 4:30 p.m. at the Apple Market on Highway 111.

Authorities spoke with potential witnesses inside the yellow tape, trying to piece together what happened.

Highway 111 at Main and Fillmore was blocked off through the night.

“Horrible,” said Olga Castro, a friend of the victim. “It’s horrible.”

Danitza Delgado lives near the crime scene and said her mother heard the gunshots.

“She went inside running, saying they shot someone,” she said.

Authorities confirmed that six rounds were fired.

A man was gunned down.

The 911 call reported an assault with a deadly weapon.

It’s unclear if the shooting was a drive-by or connected to an attempted robbery.

“She just spoke to (the victim) right now — right before he got shot,” said Castro. “My friend just spoke to him.”

Castro owns a bar down the street and said that she’s known the victim for 10 years.

He was possibly pumping gas when he was shot, she said.

Over the years, the Apple Market has been robbed several times and often with guns, authorities said.

“He had a lot of friends,” said Castro. “His family? I don’t know. But he was always in with friends.”

Castro recognized the victim’s burgundy colored van.

He was a Hispanic man in his late 30’s to early 40’s and was not affiliated with any gangs, she said.

“No, no, no,” said Castro. “He’s a farm worker. He takes care of horses where he lives at. He’s the one that would care for the horses.”

The suspect is described as a hispanic man, 29 to 33 years old. He has brown hair with a receding hair line. He is about 5’7″ to 5’8″ tall with a medium build, last seen wearing a white T-shirt and blue jeans.

Witnesses saw the suspect drive off in a dark, mid-sized sedan. They believe it is possibly an early 90’s Nissan Maxima with tinted windows.

“He was a happy person,” said Castro. “He was always smiling, every time he went into my business he was always in a good mood and this was a senseless murder, I guess.”

No arrests have made.

If you have any information that could help solve this crime, call the Sheriff’s department.