Man pleads guilty to role in Desert Hot Springs house shooting

A young man who instigated a Desert Hot Springs shootout stemming from a dispute between neighbors, resulting in injuries to himself and three others, pleaded guilty today to assault with a gun and was immediately sentenced to two years in state prison.

Jude Evaro, 19, was charged in the July 12 shooting at 66211 Fourth St. that left Evaro, his brother and two other men hospitalized.

Read: 3 men and teen shot following alleged DHS burglary

Suspecting that a neighbor had broken into his home, Evaro reported a burglary to police that day, but responding officers did not find any evidence to link the neighbor to any crime, according to Desert Hot Springs police.

An altercation later occurred between Evaro and the neighbors over the burglary claim, with police concluding that Evaro and his brother “acted as the aggressors in the situation and due to their actions, including the bringing of firearms to the scene, escalated the situation which resulted in
the shooting,” an arrest warrant declaration states.

Police say Evaro pointed a loaded, stolen gun at a man “just after a physical altercation,” according to the arrest warrant declaration, which alleges that he obtained the weapon from his brother. Evaro and the man wrestled for the weapon, causing it to discharge, and the gunshot prompted Evaro’s brother and another man at the scene to begin exchanging gunfire, leaving all four men wounded, the declaration alleges.

It’s unclear why Evaro’s brother was not also charged.

Prosecutors filed charges in August against Evaro, who was taken into custody last month near Palm Drive and Eighth Street in Desert Hot Springs, according to jail records.