Authorities believe gang members of Laotian descent were involved in the 2020 killings of seven people at an illegal marijuana grow in Aguanga, a rural community in Southern California, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department said.
Investigators have identified a dark-colored, mid-size SUV thought to have been used during the targeted attack. Officials plan to provide further details about the case during a news conference on Friday.
The shooting claimed the lives of seven Laotian individuals. Six victims were found dead at the scene, and a seventh died later at a hospital. More than 20 people lived on the property, which featured makeshift dwellings, a nursery, and a large-scale illegal marijuana operation.
Authorities recovered over 1,000 marijuana plants and several hundred pounds of processed marijuana at the site. Despite California legalizing recreational marijuana in 2018, the illicit market has remained strong, with many consumers avoiding high taxes on legal cannabis by turning to illegal sources.
Aguanga, located about 50 miles northeast of San Diego, is a remote area known for its horse ranches and dirt roads. The killings shocked the small, quiet community and highlighted ongoing issues with unlicensed marijuana cultivation in the state.
