A person was shot at a home along Highway 74 just east of Anza Tuesday, leading to an arrest and full closure of the highway, significantly disrupting travel, while investigators tried to sort out exactly what occurred.
The shooting happened at 2:20 p.m. Tuesday in the area of Highway 74 and Ribbonwood Drive, in a small community at the south boundary of the San Bernardino National Forest known as Ribbonwood, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.
Sgt. Robert Martinez said patrol deputies were sent to the location to investigate a reports of an assault and found the victim, whose identity was not disclosed, suffering from a life-threatening wound.
The party was airlifted to a Coachella Valley hospital for treatment, and there was no immediate confirmation of the victim’s condition.
Martinez said a “subject was located and detained at the scene,” but no other details were available about what might have triggered the alleged attack, or whether the suspect and victim are related or acquainted.
Both sides of the two-lane highway, which serves as the southern passage connecting the Coachella and Anza valleys, were completely closed at the request of detectives. The California Highway Patrol said the closure was being enforced between the junction of Highways 74 and 371 in Anza, all the way to Cahuilla Hills, which abuts Palm Desert to the east.
A SigAlert was issued at 3:23 p.m. due to the major impact on traffic. As of 4:40 p.m., it remained in effect.