Suspect arrested in fatal Cathedral City shooting
Cathedral City Police have arrested a 29-year-old man in connection with a fatal shooting in a Cathedral City neighborhood Thursday.
Daniel Morales Jr. of Cathedral City was arrested on March 24 just before 5 p.m. in the death of 48-year-old Juan Gonzalez, police said in a press release. Morales is charged with murder, felony street gang activity, discharging a firearm from a vehicle, association with a criminal gang and discharging a firearm causing great bodily injury. He is being held on $2 million bail at the Riverside County Southwest Detention Center, according to police.
Police responded to reports of the shooting Thursday around 3:30 p.m. near the intersection of Shifting Sands Trail and Mission Indian Trail in Cathedral City. They found Gonzales lying in the front yard of a residence suffering from gunshot wounds, according to police. Cathedral City Fire Department Paramedic arrived shortly after to provide medical assistance, but were unable to save Gonzales, who passed away on the scene.
Police later located a suspect vehicle in the 35-700 block of Date Palm Drive and detained a person of interest, according to the release.
Cathedral City Police say they are still searching for another suspect in connection with the shooting.
Police released a photo of the suspect and ask anyone with information related to the death to contact Cathedral City Police Detective Brothers by phone at 760-770-0330 or by email at tbrothers@cthedralcity.gov or Investigations Commander Sanchez at 760-202-2488 or rsanchez@cathedralcity.gov. They noted that information could also be submitted anonymously at 1 (800)-78-CRIME or www.wetip.com.
James B. Cutchin covers business in the Coachella Valley. Reach him at james.cutchin@desertsun.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Suspect arrested in fatal Cathedral City shooting
