A pair of Riverside County brothers were arrested Saturday after they allegedly entered a restaurant in La Quinta and pointed guns at the diners, including at least one child.
Ramiro Diaz, a 24-year-old Desert Hot Springs resident, and Nicholas Diaz, a 22-year-old Indio resident, entered a restaurant in the 79800 block of Highway 111 on Sunday and “pointed firearms at patrons inside, to include a 3-year-old child,” the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department said in a news release.
The brothers then fled separately, one in a light-colored SUV and another in a dark-colored sedan, authorities said.
While no one was injured or physically harmed, the Sheriff’s Department arrested the brothers on charges of assault with a deadly weapon and child endangerment. Additionally, Nicholas will face charges for being a felon in possession of a loaded firearm and violating probation, officials said.
Nicholas was arrested in the 83000 block of Avenue 48 in Coachella, and Ramiro was arrested in the 66300 block of Buena Vista in Desert Hot Springs. In addition, three guns were taken as evidence after they were found in the 46500 block of Clinton Street in Indio.
While the motive for the incident is still under investigation, this was not a robbery attempt, said Sgt. Deirdre Vickers.
The investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with additional information is asked to contact Investigator James at 760-863-8856.
If you wish to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 760-341-7867.