VICTORVILLE-(VVNG.com): On Friday, December 26th shots were reported fired at a house party in the 15600 block of Choctaw Street in Victorville. The party had been going seemingly normally when the homeowner, for unknown reasons decided to end the party at 11:00 PM.
Eric Lemus, 19 of Apple Valley had walked out to the front of the home and leaned over into a vehicle to ask some friends for a ride when at approximately 11:13 PM four males walked up. According to Lemus’ grandmother, Marilynn Greger, Lemus said, one of the three males said, “we are going to bust it open”. Lemus did not take them seriously and continued talking, but when he looked back he saw a gun and attempted to run.
Lemus was shot in the chest and in the hand, and at this time remains in the Cardiac Intensive Care unit suffering from a broken rib, a contusion to his lungs and a gunshot wound to the hand. “The shot to the chest just missed the heart, if he was shot with a smaller caliber gun the bullet would have ricochet causing more damage, and we might have been talking about funeral arrangements instead,” said Greger.
During the shooting, Lemus’ 16-year-old friend was also shot in his shoulder. The young victim was able to run to a home on a neighboring street and the homeowners at that location called 9-1-1. During the time that the 16-year-old was shot, his older brother, who had heard the gunshots went looking for Lemus and his brother. He found Lemus on the ground injured so he leaned over him talking with him and praying for his survival. He recalls an ambulance rushing past him and his ailing friend to a nearby home. It was not until shortly after that when friends ran up to alert him that he found out that his brother had also been shot.
The two were transported by ground ambulance to Desert Valley Hospital where they were then airlifted to a trauma center for treatment.
The 16-year-old had a damaged artery due to the wound and has since had surgery to move a vein from a location in his body to that area to repair the damage. According to friends, the young victim has said he should be released as soon as Tuesday, December 30th.
According to his grandmother, Lemus’ was shocked to hear of his 16-year-old friend being shot, as they were not even together at the time of the shooting.
Sheriffs were again dispatched to the home on Sunday, December 28th for a reported fight. The reporting party stated that approximately 20 people were fighting at the home. When deputies responded to the scene, the crowd dispersed. One arrest was made of a 24-year-old Shakiyla Brown, of Victorville who was seen by a witness in the backyard with a gun. The woman was arrested on suspicion of altering the serial number on the firearm. The fight was believed to be related to the shooting, but at this time no shooting suspects are in custody.
There is no further information at this time, information will be updated as it is received. If you have any information regarding the shooting you are urged to call the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department at (760)241-2911. Those wishing to remain anonymous were encouraged to call 1-800-782-7463 or go to https://www.wetip.com.
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