An attempted murder charge was downgraded to a felony count of assault with a gun for a 21-year-old suspect previously accused of shooting at two Coachella teenagers, authorities said today.
Salomon “Bookie” Cruz-Rodriguez Jr. had been accused of attempted murder in connection with a parking lot shooting on Feb. 17, 2023, according to a declaration in support of arrest warrant filed by Riverside County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Michael McTigue.
Thalia Hayden of the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office confirmed that a judge did not find enough evidence to hold him to answer on the attempted murder count, instead ordering Cruz Rodriguez to stand trial of an assault with a gun charge on Thursday. He is due back at the Larson Justice Center in Indio for a post-preliminary hearing arraignment on Jan. 7, according to case records.
An attempted murder charge against co-defendant David “Real Shooter” Rodriguez, 26, was dismissed in July.
McTigue said he responded to the shooting in the parking lot between two businesses in the 49000 block of Grapefruit Boulevard in Coachella to several reports of subjects arguing and shooting at each other. When deputies arrived on the scene, they claimed to have found various 9mm and .22-caliber spent casings.