Man shot outside casino
Someone shot and critically wounded a man in the middle of a bustling casino parking lot Thursday, but police had no luck identifying a suspect or witnesses to the shooting.
The incident unfolded around 1:15 p.m. in the west parking lot of Fantasy Springs Casino near Interstate 10 in Indio.
Thats where police found the victim, a Hispanic man believed to be in his 20s or 30s, bloody and severely wounded by gunshots.
Authorities did not identify the man, but Sgt. Ben Guitron, spokesman for the Indio Police Department, said he was not a casino employee.
The injured man was unable to communicate with authorities and, despite the fact that he was in the middle of a busy parking lot about 100 yards from the main casino entrance, police said they had no luck finding witnesses.
Chris Helbock, a casino patron from San Diego, said he was driving into the parking lot when he saw the critically wounded man on the ground.
"His legs were moving all the security guards were running out," Helbock said. "We couldnt tell what had happened."
Officers from the Indio Police Department put crime-scene tape around most of the west parking lot while detectives marked and recorded evidence, such as the victims bloody clothes, shoes and socks, that were lying along a curb where he had fallen.
"We dont have any leads or clues," Guitron said. "The first 72 hours are critical in an incident like this."
According to Guitron, the Riverside County Sheriffs Department called Indio police at 1:18 p.m. to notify them of the shooting.
The Sheriffs Department was the first to respond to a 911 call and notified Indio police because the casinos west parking lot is in the citys territory, Guitron said.
Cpl. Dennis Gutierrez of the Sheriffs Department said casino security workers placed the initial 911 call at 1:15 p.m.
The Indio Fire Department also responded to the scene and took the injured man to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, where he underwent emergency surgery, Guitron said.
"Obviously, the victim was in no condition to relay any information," Guitron said.
He said detectives were going to the hospital in the event the man recovered enough to give a statement.
In the meantime they were scouring the parking lot for clues and looking for witnesses to the crime.
Guitron said the man was not in a vehicle when police found him and that officers were working with Fantasy Springs officials to look for any evidence that might have been captured by security cameras in the casino or parking lot.
"We dont know if he was here on casino business or not," Guitron said.
Shortly after the incident, Richard Sackley, spokesman for Fantasy Springs Resort Casino and Special Events Center, said the shooting happened outside the casino and that he had no other information.
James H. McKennon, chief executive officer of East Valley Tourist Development Authority, which operates the Indian gaming property on behalf of the Cabazon Band of Mission Indians, refused to respond to any questions other than to say the shooting was a matter that the Indio Police Department was handling.
During the on-site investigation, casino customers who had parked in the taped-off area couldnt get to their cars.
Some milled about the parking lot, asking police when they might be able to get to their cars. Others returned to the casino and came out occasionally to check on their cars.
"My car is stuck out here," said Bill Dubin of Rancho Mirage.
Dubin said he saw the injured man but did not witness the shooting or see anyone suspicious.
"The guy was laying here when I was out here before," said Dubin, who had come out to try to get to his car. "His legs were kicking; I cant tell you any more than that."
2005-09-12
