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8 shot and injured at dice game in San Bernardino — 2 in extremely critical condition

by in News

San Bernardino police detectives were gathering evidence and information Monday morning after eight people were shot the night before during a dice game that left two — one 17 years old — in extremely critical condition.

Police said finding cooperative witnesses has been a challenge.

“There were multiple weapons used, and it appears there were multiple shooters but we need someone to come forward to tell us that,” Capt. Richard Lawhead said. “There is evidence for us to believe there was a back-and-forth gun battle.”

Initial reports from Sunday night were that 10 people were shot and three were in extremely critical condition. However, after gathering information, police updated their numbers Monday morning.

Witnesses and victims have been so tight-lipped that detectives still don’t know all of the sexes of the victims from the incident that erupted during a dice game at an apartment complex at 1277 E. Lynwood Drive, in northeast San Bernardino, around 10:45 p.m., officials said.

The investigation was in its early stages, leaving many questions unanswered, Lawhead said from the scene, north of the 210 Freeway and east of Waterman Avenue.

The shooting started when someone showed up to the gathering, Lawhead said, but it was unclear if the shooting was directly related to the game itself.

No one had been arrested as of early Monday.

Descriptions of the suspects were limited, and there wasn’t any vehicle description. No firearms had been recovered.

Handguns and rifles were used, Lawhead said.

Lawhead said there is gang activity in the area, but that this early in the investigation he could not yet attribute the shooting to a gang rivalry.

Patrons at one of the two nearby bars said they didn’’t hear any gunfire during Sunday night’s shooting over the loud music being played. There were homes within the crime scene. Nearby at the intersection with North Golden Avenue there are two auto-repair shops, a market and a liquor store.

The wounded were taken to three hospitals.

The incident comes as community leaders have already expressed concern about violence in the city this summer.

 

 

Patrons at one of the two nearby bars said they didn’t hear any gunfire during Sunday night’s shooting at a San Bernardino apartment complex. They cited the loud music being played. (Photo by Brian Rokos/San Bernardino Sun/SCNG)