Indio police seek homicide suspect, family member identifies victim
Indio Police are seeking an 18-year-old Thermal man wanted as a homicide suspect in an October 19 fatal shooting.
On Friday at 7:57 p.m., IPD officers responded to John F. Kennedy Hospital in Indio in regarding a report of a 22-year-old man suffering from a gunshot wound to the upper body. The victim died from his injuries.
The victim’s sister identified him as Victor Velásquez. Police have not confirmed his identity.
Reporter Jake Ingrassia spoke to the victim’s uncle, Maylo Velásquez, who said the shooting doesn’t make sense. “It’s like a punch,” he said.
In Spanish, he described his nephew.
He was really intelligent, Velásquez said in Spanish. He was a serious guy…he never had a problem with anyone, he said. I want to know what happened — why that guy is still on the run, he said.
This is the 2nd homicide in Indio this year, and the 13th homicide in the Coachella Valley.
IPD detectives from the Major Crimes and Street Crimes unit began interviewing everyone involved in the shooting incident. The investigation revealed that the victim and two males were in a bedroom when the family of the victim heard a gunshot, and found the victim suffering from a single gunshot wound. The 22-year-old was then brought to JFK Medical Center for treatment.
The investigation revealed that one of the males, 18-year-old Jorge Quinart of Thermal, fled the area after the incident and is yet to be located. Detectives have been working ‘non-stop’ to locate the 18-year-old to conduct an interview with him.
According to IPD, there is no threat to public safety at this time. The firearm involved in the incident has not been recovered.
Family have created a GoFundMe page to help raise money for funeral expenses. Click here to go to that page.
Anyone with information relating to this case or the whereabouts of Quinart is urged to contact the Indio Police Department at 760-391-4051 or to remain anonymous information can be provided through Coachella Valley Crime Stoppers at (760) 341-STOP (7867).
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Noticias en español: Telemundo 15
