Deputies kill armed gunman at RM’s Eisenhower Med Ctr

RANCHO MIRAGE — Authorities yesterday confronted and killed a gun-wielding man who had reportedly been discharging a weapon at a Rancho Mirage health clinic Monday afternoon, Mar. 4. The fatal officer-involved shooting happened at Desert Orthopedic Center, within Eisenhower Medical Center’s campus, in the 39000 block of Bob Hope Drive.

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Deputies assigned to the contract city of Rancho Mirage responded to several reports of shots being fired just before 5 p.m., Riverside Sheriff’s spokesperson Deputy Mike Vasquez later reported.

Deputies arrived within minutes of the dispatched call and quickly located a man who matched the description provided by callers. The alleged suspect was still armed with a handgun and a deputy involved shooting occurred moments later.

Deputies at the scene requested medical assistance for the mortally injured shooter and immediately began rendering first aid and attempting life-saving measures.  Despite life-saving efforts by deputies, paramedics, and other emergency personnel, the suspect succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene a short time later.

Authorities are investigating an officer-involved shooting that left an alleged gunman dead at Eisenhower Medical Center’s campus yesterday afternoon. RSO photo

A subsequent preliminary coroner’s release indicated the suspect was pronounced deceased at 5:22 p.m., but the release provided no further details, pending identification and notification of next of kin.

No deputies or other citizens were injured during the incident, according to Vasquez.

As the investigation was getting underway, Desert Orthopedics Center was evacuated and Eisenhower Hospital was placed on lock-down. The hospital’s Emergency Room remained open throughout the ordeal; however, witnesses reported lengthy delays in the ER’s processing and admitting of patients.

As officials worked in and around the crime scene, the alleged gunman’s body could be seen very close to a white pickup truck that was parked haphazardly on the sidewalk outside the medical clinic. A large sign could be seen propped against the back of the pickup that read in part, “Dr. Begosian messed up my knee No Sorry! No!” A second sign below the first could not be read from the distance from which it was photographed by Robert Carter of Facebook’s Public Safety Incidents.

The alleged gunman was fatally shot while standing near a white pickup truck that had several signs propped against it. Robert Carter/Public Safety Incidents photo

Although officials have not yet said if the truck was driven to the location by the deceased gunman or if it was involved in any way, Hospital records indicate a Dr. Ghassan Boghosian works at Desert Orthopedic Center as a knee and hip replacement specialist. The vehicle was the focus of much of the ensuing investigation and officials were later seen combing through the truck, which was later towed from the scene.

Sheriff’s public information officials said in a series of Tweets that the shooting was believed to be an “isolated incident,” that there were no outstanding suspects, and there was “no threat to public safety.”

The deputies involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave per Department policy and their names will not be released at this time.  

Investigators from the Riverside County Sheriff Department’s Central Homicide Unit responded and assumed the investigation, which is active and ongoing.  

Anyone with information regarding the incident is encouraged to contact Central Homicide Investigator Gomez at (951) 955-2777 or Investigator Hendry at (760) 836-1600. Callers can refer to incident file number S190630052 and can remain anonymous. Citizens may also submit a tip using the Sheriff’s Homicide Tipline online form.

This is a developing story that will be updated as new information is available.

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Robert Carter/Public Safety Incident photos

Robert Carter/Public Safety Incidents video

Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, 47, moved last year 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 15 – but soon to be 16 – grandchildren.

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