Palm Springs Cops Shoot Armed Robbers After Agua Caliente Casino Heist

Posted on: October 22, 2020, 10:27h. 

Last updated on: October 22, 2020, 01:04h.

Ed Silverstein @casinoorgedsilv Read More
Expertise: Legal, Tribal Gaming.

Palm Springs, Calif. police officers shot two robbery suspects as they tried to speed away from a parking garage at Agua Caliente Casino early Wednesday. One of whom was carrying a handgun They had just allegedly robbed a woman at gunpoint.

Suspected robbers had attempted two other holdups at casinos that night
A Palm Springs, California police officer seen here on Wednesday at the Agua Caliente Casino parking garage following a police-involved shooting there. Officers shot two suspected robbers in the garage. One of the alleged bandits had a handgun, police said. (Image: KESQ)

While in the garage, the duo approached a woman who was standing by her car. They snuck up behind her, allegedly covered her mouth, and placed a firearm up to the side of the victim’s body, police said in a Facebook post. They then allegedly grabbed her purse and tried to speed away in their white Honda Accord.

Three police officers were able to block the bandits’ attempted escape, as their car traveled on a ramp from the second level of the garage to the first, police said.

In a confrontation between officers and the suspects, each of the duo was shot while inside the car, police added. The firearm later was seized by police. Injuries to the suspects did not appear to be life-threatening, police said. No police officers were injured, the department added.

A casino security officer had recognized the same car and suspects from an earlier incident that same night. Security officers immediately notified the police at 2:03 am.

The suspects’ names and charges were not immediately known. They were each taken to a local hospital for treatment, Patch, the online news site, reported.

The same unnamed suspects allegedly attempted two other holdups at casinos that same night, Palm Springs police said in the Facebook post.

One of the attempted holdups was at the same Palm Springs casino at 12:45 am. In that incident, police were told that two suspects approached a man, and one of the bandits pulled out a handgun and demanded the victim’s property, according to the Facebook post.

The same bandits then went to Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage at 1 am, where they again attempted a robbery, police said. With that one failing, they returned to the Palm Springs casino. The robbery ensued.

The three police officers involved with the shooting were placed on temporary administrative leave, which appears to be a standard procedure with a police-involved shooting. The local sheriff’s office and district attorney’s office will investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident and whether their actions were justified.

Officers Get Overwhelming Support on Facebook

Numerous Facebook posts on the Palm Springs Police Department’s (PSPD) page congratulated the officers on the arrest. They also wished and prayed the officers remain safe and successfully cope with any emotional effects from the incident.

One poster, identified as Chris Paul, wrote, “Excellent work PSPD. Officers again put their lives on the line knowing these suspects are armed and obviously willing to use their firearms. We are indeed lucky to have such an amazing police department.”

And Darcy Colantuono commented, “Omigosh, Thank you Jesus our officers were not injured, Another awesome job they stop[p]ed the robbers. PSPD plz be safe always sending prayers.”

The shooting led to the temporary closure of the parking garage at the Palm Springs casino, the Desert Sun, a local newspaper, said.

The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians owns the Agua Caliente Casino.

Prior Shooting at Agua Caliente Casino Garage

The Palm Springs Agua Caliente Casino garage is the same site where someone was shot on Sept. 14. A local man was arrested in connection with that alleged attempted murder, police have said.

Jose Arlando Gomez, 28, has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder in that incident, the Desert Sun reported.

Nationwide, multiple US gaming parking lots were the scenes of shootings in recent months, a report from Casino.org has revealed.