COACHELLA, Calif. — In the early hours of August 2, 2025, a quiet neighborhood in Coachella was shattered by gunfire, leaving a community in mourning and two families clinging to hope. At 3:45 a.m., deputies from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Thermal Station raced to a residence in the 49000 block of Corte Molino after reports of an assault with a deadly weapon. What they found was a scene of devastation: three adolescent males, riddled with gunshot wounds, fighting for their lives.
Despite the deputies’ desperate attempts to render aid, 17-year-old Alberto Castillo Jr., a Coachella resident, succumbed to his injuries at the scene. His death sent shockwaves through the tight-knit community, where he was known as a vibrant young man with dreams yet to be realized. The two other victims, also teenage boys, were rushed to local hospitals in critical condition, their fates uncertain as medical teams worked tirelessly to save them. By early September, both survivors had been released from the hospital, continuing their recovery from the traumatic ordeal.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Central Homicide Unit has taken the reins of the investigation, combing through evidence and canvassing the neighborhood for answers. The shooting, which occurred in a cul-de-sac near Avenue 50 and Frederick Street, has left investigators with more questions than answers. No suspects have been identified, and the motive behind this violent act remains elusive. Was it a targeted attack, a random act of violence, or something else entirely? The silence from authorities on these details only deepens the community’s unease.
As Coachella grapples with this tragedy, the loss of Alberto Castillo Jr. weighs heavily. Friends and family remember him as a young man full of potential, now forever stolen from them. The surviving victims, though physically healing, carry the scars of a night that changed their lives irrevocably. The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office is urging anyone with information to step forward, offering contact numbers for Master Investigator Castaneda at 951-955-2777 and Thermal Station Investigator Glasper at 760-863-8990. In a community desperate for closure, every tip could be the key to justice for Alberto and his fellow victims.