Coachella teen shot in head – Search for gunman continuing

August 31, 2020 Trevor Montgomery

COACHELLA, Calif. — Authorities today are continuing to search for a man they say shot a Coachella teen in the head late Sunday evening, Aug. 30.

The shooting, which also damaged at least two vehicles, happened in a residential neighborhood on the 49000 block of Avenida De Plata, northwest of Avenue 50 and Harrison St.

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Thermal Station deputies assigned to Coachella were dispatched to the scene around 10:30 p.m., after receiving multiple reports of shots fired in the area, Riverside Sheriff’s Sgt. William Fiebig reported after the shooting.

“Witnesses reported hearing 5 to 7 gunshots with an unknown suspect vehicle leaving at a high rate of speed,” explained Fiebig.

When deputies and other emergency responders arrived they did not find any victims or suspects; however they located multiple shell casings at the scene and bullet impacts were discovered on two vehicles parked in front of neighboring residences.

While deputies secured the crime scene and began investigating the shooting, Thermal Station investigators were contacted and ultimately assumed the investigation.

As the investigation was getting underway, officials learned the teen victim was at an area hospital receiving treatment for a gunshot wound to his head. He reportedly told officials he was standing in front of his residence when an unknown person began shooting at him.

No other victims were located.

The unidentified suspect has been described as a Hispanic male adult, driving a gray colored sedan. Witnesses said the man fled from the area immediately after the shooting.

The sheriff’s investigation is continuing and officials have not released any further information.

Anyone with information regarding this investigation is encouraged to contact the Thermal Sheriff’s Station Investigations Bureau at (760)863-8990. Callers can refer to incident file number Y20243063 and can remain anonymous.

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Trevor Montgomery, 48, moved in 2017 to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, (the now defunct) Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; 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 29 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 18 grandchildren.