Uptick in homicides in the last month doubles Coachella Valley total this year
Through the end of June and into July, homicides in the Coachella Valley doubled the total of the previous five months to start the year.
As of June 23rd, there were five homicides in the Coachella Valley; from June 30th to now, six more have been added to that total, which now stands at eleven homicides.
Homicides are still down compared to the past two years, but the valley is now on pace for more after starting the year below average.
Last Friday night, one person was killed in downtown Palm Springs after an attempted robbery turned deadly. Three people were arrested in connection with that incident.
The uptick also includes a double-murder suicide in Palm Springs that left two victims and the suspect dead. Elsewhere in the valley, three separate incidents in Desert Hot Springs have left a total of three people dead and three others injured.
Lieutenant Gustavo Araiza, of the Palm Springs Police Department, says it's hard to determine when and where crime will happen.
He also says there's no correlation between the recent homicides in the city. He explains, "The one off the freeway was very unique because the people weren't even from the area. They just happened to stop in the area."
Nonetheless, he says the department will continue looking for ways to keep the public safe. "We’re going to make recommendations to the city like what measures could be taken to improve safety," he says.
In a Facebook post last week, the Desert Hot Springs Police Department posted a video featuring Mayor Scott Matas and Chief Jim Henson, who reassured the public that violence is not tolerated in their community.
KESQ has reached out to Desert Hot Springs for further comment on the homicides and the video, but the city continues to decline our requests.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Araiza has these tips for the public to remain alert and stay safe: “The reality is, within any incident, whether it be crime or violence, is that if [you] see something suspicious, we need to know ahead of time that would help us, in most cases, try to quell any potential violence or any crimes that might be occurring.”
