Deputies Allegedly Shot at in Thermal, One Suspect Arrested

THERMAL (CNS) - An 18-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of
attempted murder of a peace officer after allegedly opening fire on deputies in
Thermal, authorities said today.
  

Deputies from the Riverside County Sheriff's Department's Thermal
station responded to a report of a shooting into an inhabited building in the
88000 block of Avenue 70 at 9:50 p.m. Friday. While they were at the scene, a
vehicle drove onto the street and an occupant allegedly fired multiple rounds
in the direction of the deputies, striking one of the patrol vehicles.
  

No deputies were injured, and the deputies did not return fire,
according to the sheriff's department.
  

Deputies initiated a pursuit of the suspect vehicle, but lost sight of
it. Shortly after, deputies located an abandoned vehicle matching the
suspect vehicle's description in the 63000 block of Landon Lane in Thermal.
They conducted a search of the area and located a man identified as Gustavo
Barrera Pena of Thermal.
  

Pena allegedly fled on foot, but was ultimately detained. He was
booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center on suspicion of two counts of
attempted murder of a peace officer and for allegedly discharging a firearm
into an inhabited dwelling. He was being held on $1 million bail, and is
expected to appear in court Wednesday at the Indio Larson Justice Center.
  

Investigators also believe there is at least one outstanding suspect
who is currently unidentified.
  

Anyone with additional information about the case was encouraged to
contact Mater Investigator R. Ramirez or Sr. District Attorney Investigator E.
Crosson at 951-955-2777.
  

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