UPDATED: MORENO VALLEY: Officials identify juvenile female killed in Moreno Valley triple shooting

UPDATE: April 18, 2:30 a.m.

Coroner’s officials have identified a 17-year-old female victim who died after she was one of three people who were shot Friday, April 14 in a Moreno Valley neighborhood.

Officials identified Sofia Ceja, of Moreno Valley as the victim who died from the triple shooting.

According to officials, Ceja died at Riverside University Health System Medical Center at 10:34 p.m., just over one hour after the deadly incident.

 

ORIGINAL STORY: Three injured, one fatally, after gunfire erupts in Moreno Valley neighborhood

MORENO VALLEY – Three people, including two juveniles, were shot Friday night, April 14. One of the victims, A 17-year-old girl, died from gunshot wound(s) she suffered after gunfire erupted in the residential neighborhood. The deadly shooting happened on the 22900 block of Allies Place, north of Allesandro Boulevard and west of Frederick Street, in Moreno Valley.

Deputies from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Moreno Valley Police Station and other emergency first responders rushed to the location about 9:21 p.m., after Riverside County emergency dispatchers began receiving 911 calls from citizens reporting hearing shots fired in the area, Riverside Sheriff’s Sergeant Walter Mendez explained in a written press release after the deadly shooting.

When deputies arrived at the scene they quickly located three victims – including two females ages 26 and 16 and a 17-year-old male – who were all suffering from gunshot wounds.

Although sheriff’s officials did not name or identify any of the three victims, all are residents of Moreno Valley, Mendez said.

City of Moreno Valley firefighter/paramedics and American Medical Response medics treated the three victims at the scene. All three were suffering from gunshot wounds.

“All three victims were transported to a local hospital suffering from gunshot wounds,” Mendez explained.

The 17-year-old female victim later succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead by hospital staff.

The victim who died at the hospital has not been named, pending notification of the girl’s family.

Investigators from the Sheriff’s Central Homicide Unit responded to the scene and assumed the investigation.

At some point during the deadly shooting investigation, deputies spotted a vehicle leaving the area at a high rate of speed.

Deputies attempted to stop the vehicle – which they did not describe – however, the driver failed to yield, at which time deputies initiated a pursuit.

The fleeing vehicle reportedly ran a red light, causing a traffic collision. The vehicle being pursued did not slow down or stop and continued fleeing.

Deputies terminated the pursuit in order to provide medical aid to the victims inside the vehicle involved in the collision.

The occupants from the vehicle involved in the accident were uninjured and deputies were unable to relocate the fleeing vehicle.

The neighborhood where the shooting happened remained cordoned off and close to through traffic until well into the next day.

The morning after the fatal incident, sheriff’s officials could be seen going door to door throughout the neighborhood, while searching for witnesses or anyone who had information regarding the shooting.

“Due to the ongoing status of the investigation, no further information is available at this time,” Mendez stated.

Anyone with information regarding this incident or who witnessed the deadly shooting is encouraged to contact Investigator Joshua Button of the Sheriff’s Central Homicide Unit at (760) 393-3531. Callers can refer to incident file number MV171040485 and can remain anonymous. Citizens may also submit a tip using the Sheriff’s CrimeTips online form.

This is a developing story. additional information will be updated as it becomes available.

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Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News and Anza Valley Outlook and also writes for Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg and breaking his back in an off-duty accident.

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center and Lake Elsinore Station, along with other locations.