Central Valley men charged in alleged drive-by BB gun shooting in Palm Springs
Felony assault charges were filed today against two Central Valley men accused of shooting a senior with a BB gun while he was sitting at a bus stop in Palm Springs.
Christian Vitto-McVay, 19, of Modesto and Larry Bradford Williams, 26, of Stockton are accused in the drive-by attack reported about 6:50 p.m. last Tuesday in the 1000 block of East Palm Canyon Drive.
The victim, whose name and age were withheld, was treated at the scene and did not hospitalization, according to the Palm Springs Police Department.
Each defendant was charged with one felony count of assault by means likely to produce great bodily injury. Vitto-McVay additionally faces a great bodily injury sentence-enhancing allegation.
Vitto-McVay, who is being held without bail at the Smith Correctional Facility in Banning, is scheduled to make his initial court appearance Tuesday.
Williams posted $40,000 bond and is scheduled to return to the Larson Justice Center in Indio on July 29.
Witnesses reported that shots were fired from a white Ford Crown Victoria, which police spotted in the area that night and pulled over. Officers saw what appeared to be a rifle and a handgun in the backseat, and later determined both weapons were BB guns, police said.
Both suspects were promptly arrested.
"The investigation revealed these individuals were visiting Palm Springs and decided to attack a member of our community,'' according to a
police statement.
Neither defendant has any documented felony convictions in Riverside County, although it was unclear if they had criminal histories in their home counties.
