Three victims found at fatal crash scene in Palm Springs had gunshot wounds

Three victims found at the scene of a fatal traffic collision late Sunday evening sustained gunshot wounds, Palm Springs Police Department Chief Bryan Reyes said during a news conference Tuesday afternoon. Reyes also said that it is not clear at this time if the gunshot wounds caused the deaths of the victims, who are aged 17 – 19.

Police are now calling this a four-person homicide investigation, possibly the ‘worst mass-killing’ in the city’s history, according to Reyes.

In a news conference held Tuesday afternoon, Chief Reyes asked anyone in the surrounding areas who may have surveillance footage from that night to contact law enforcement to assist with the investigation.

At 11:40 p.m Sunday, an accident was reported near the intersection of Sunny Dunes Road and El Placer Road in Palm Springs. The driver and two passengers died at the scene.

Shortly afterward, at 12:15 a.m., officers received a report of a man lying in the road on Canon Drive south of Theresa Drive in Palm Springs. Officers found that the man had suffered from a gunshot wound and had died before officers arrived.

The shooting victim is a 25-year-old man from Palm Springs, but his identity has not been released.

One person killed in Palm Springs shooting, three people killed in nearby crash

Reyes later said in the news conference that he is unsure if there still is a threat to public safety at this time and that he does not know if someone involved is still out there.

The two incidents are being actively investigating to determine if they are related, based on their timing and proximity.