UPDATED: 2:30 pm, August 16, 2018
Two Joshua Tree boys accused of shooting a pellet gun at deputies and at a home were arrested Wednesday night. According to a Sheriff’s report, a deputy was called to the 6200 block of Sunburst Avenue in Joshua Tree about 10:20 p.m. for a report of shots fired at a home. As the deputy was talking to the resident, they heard additional shots being fired at them and striking a trailer. As the deputy and the resident ran for cover behind the home, the deputy requested back-up. The additional deputies began to coordinate efforts to locate the shooter, who was still firing at them. The first deputy on the scene was shining a hand-held spotlight in an attempt to locate the shooter, and the suspect fired at the spotlight. When deputies spotted the gunman armed with a long rifle advancing toward the trailer, they ordered him to drop the rifle, he did not comply, a deputy-involved shooting occurred and the shooter fled. Deputies pursued the shooter into a nearby apartment complex where he was apprehended carrying a backpack with a rifle in it. A second suspect was found in another apartment and was also taken into custody. His backpack had rifle pellets in it. The two boys are 15 and 17; they were not identified due to their age. They were booked into Juvenile Hall for investigation of assault with a deadly weapon. The rifle was a high-powered .177-barrel break pellet gun. Neither the boys nor the deputies were injured during the incident.
