One man is in custody and another is still on the loose after a suspected hate crime at a Palm Springs, Ca. hotel over the weekend.
According to Palm Springs police, officers responded to calls of a shooting at the Ivy Park Resort just after 1:30 a.m. Saturday and were told a Latino man fired several shots at an African-American man and his family, CBS Local 2 reported.
Ricardo Gomez, 19, faces several felony charges, including attempted murder and a hate crime. (Image courtesy of CBS Local 2)
A department news release said the victim, his wife and their 16-year-old son, who all had just arrived to their hotel room from out of town, were not injured in the incident.
A definite motive remains unclear, but investigators suspect the shooting may have been racially-motivated based on comments the suspect allegedly made to the victims before opening fire. Witnesses also reported seeing someone brandish a gun before the shooting.
Ricardo Gomez was located and taken into custody at an inn across the street after fleeing the scene. Officers said Gomez, 19, is a known gang member and matched the description given by witnesses. Authorities are now seeking a second suspect in the shooting.
Speaking to CBS Local 2, a hotel worker who wished to remain unnamed said Gomez was not a guest at the resort and had somehow entered the property. The worker recalled the suspect shooting from the second-floor balcony as the guests stood in the parking lot.
During their investigation, police said they found two loaded handguns in the immediate vicinity of where Gomez was found. The young man now faces a slew of felony charges, including attempted murder and a hate crime.
Anyone with information regarding the shooting is asked to contact Detective Mario Kasal at 760-323- 8136.
