Teen hospitalized after large Banning apartment complex brawl, shooting
BANNING — Officials are searching for a gunman after a teen was shot during what witnesses described as an “out of control brawl” at a Banning apartment complex early Wednesday evening, Oct 24.
The fight and shooting that left a 16-year-old with a non-fatal gunshot wound happened at the Peppertree Apartments, between E. Nicolet and E. Williams streets, and west of Hargrave St.
LEADING THE RCNS HEADLINES:
UPDATE: Family confirms body found in Menifee field that of missing 64-year-old
UPDATED: Four victims ID’d after 4-vehicle, DUI-related JV crash
Officials investigating after inmate found dead inside Riverside cell
Banning PD, Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, and other emergency personnel, responded to the apartments around 6 p.m., after receiving reports of a brawl that broke out at the complex. 911 callers reported some of those involved in the fight were armed with knives and guns.
Numerous Banning PD and RSO officials converged on the scene of last night’s shooting that left a teen hospitalized with a gunshot wound. EN3 Productions photo
Moments later, while officers were converging on the scene, Banning PD dispatchers received several more frantic 911 calls from area residents reporting shots fired within the complex.
As officers began arriving at the scene they quickly locked down the apartment complex and several nearby streets, designating the entire area a crime scene. Banning PD later said that other than the shooting victim, all those involved in the fight and shooting had fled the area prior to their arrival.
Paramedics treated the young shooting victim at the scene before AMR rushed the boy to an area hospital with a non-life threatening gunshot wound.
While officers interviewed witnesses in and around the complex, other officers and deputies could be seen searching the area for those allegedly involved in the large fight. Officials were also seen stopping several vehicles that were spotted cruising through the area and questioning the occupants about the incident.
As the investigation was continuing, no residents from the complex were allowed to come onto or leave the property, causing some residents frustration as they were unable to make it to evening activities or get back into their homes after work.
Officials are still working to determine what started the brawl and led to the shooting and have not released how many people were involved in the violent altercation. As of this report, BPD had not stated if any suspects had been identified or located, or if anyone was in custody for the shooting.
Anyone with information regarding this investigation or who witnessed the fight and shooting is encouraged to immediately contact Banning PD’s Detective Bureau at (951) 922-3170. Callers can remain anonymous.
This is a developing story that will be updated as new information is available.
Click any image to open full-size gallery.
Contact the writer: [email protected]
Trevor Montgomery, 47, recently moved to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, The Valley Chronicle, and Anza Valley Outlook; as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and Mountain Echo in Shasta 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, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s 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.
Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.
Trevor has been married for more than 28 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 14 – but soon to be 16 – grandchildren.