SAN JACINTO: Injured boy airlifted from Massacre Canyon

SAN JACINTO – Details are still emerging after a juvenile male was airlifted from an area of San Jacinto known as Massacre Canyon Friday, April 21. Massacre Canyon is located north of Gilman Springs Road and east of N. Sanderson Avenue.

The boy, who has not been identified by name or age, was airlifted from the popular, well-known local canyon after suffering unspecified injuries.

Cal Fire/Riverside County firefighters, Riverside County sheriff’s deputies, California Highway Patrol officers and other emergency first responders were dispatched to the canyon just after 1 p.m., after the emergency was reported.

Eighteen firefighters from four engine companies responded to the juvenile medical aid emergency, according to Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Public Information Officer Jody Hagemann. They were assisted by a paramedic squad.

Due to the rocky, difficult terrain of the area, fire officials at the scene determined the minor would need to be airlifted from the canyon and requested a helicopter to the area to assist.

Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department’s Helicopter 301 responded to the location to assist in the boy’s rescue.

After airlifting the boy from the canyon, the juvenile was flown to an area hospital for further evaluation and treatment of what officials described as moderate injuries. The full extent and nature of the boy’s injuries were not disclosed.

No further information about the injured boy was immediately available.

This is a developing story. Additional information will be provided as it becomes available.

Massacre Canyon

Massacre Canyon is best known for and was named after a devastating battle between two local Indian tribes, the Ivahs and the Temeculas, according to oral history from early Soboba Indians.

The battle of Massacre Canyon was fought over control of the locally grown Chia plant – part of the mint family – whose seeds were an important food source at the time.

After the Temeculas’ Chia crops failed, their tribal members soon learned about the San Jacinto Valley, where the essential plant was flourishing.

The Ivahs and the Temeculas nearly came to battle when Ivahs first spotted Temeculas gathering from Chia plants on Ivah land.

When subsequent attempts for a peaceful resolution between the two neighboring tribes failed, the two tribes fought a fierce battle over control of the San Jacinto Valley.

The battle raged throughout an entire day with scores of combatants dying from both tribes.

As the day-long battle continued the Temeculas began to gain the upper hand when they were reinforced by additional members from their tribe late in the day.

When the Ivahs saw the arrival of Temecula tribal reinforcements – seeing the tide of battle turning against them – they began to retreat from the battle. They were eventually fought back into what has since been appropriately named Massacre Canyon.

As the remaining Ivahs – including women and children – were forced further back into the canyon; the steep, treacherous, nearly vertical walls of the canyon offered no exit for the retreating tribal members.

They eventually found themselves completely trapped and enclosed on three sides by the sheer, dangerous, rock walls of the canyon.

With nowhere further to retreat to, the last remaining Ivahs were forced to fight to the death.

By the end of the day, Temecula tribal members had vanquished the Ivahs, slaughtering every last tribal member who had been involved in the battle, which later led to the area being known as Massacre Canyon.

 

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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.