RIVERSIDE (California) PRESS-ENTERPRISE April 8, 2007
Two shot in extortion of farmworkers DE LUZ - Two men were shot when two gunmen tried to extort money from migrant farmworkers by holding one of them hostage in an avocado grove outside Temecula on Saturday afternoon The names of the victims were not available from Riverside County sheriff's officials. Their wounds did not appear to be life-threatening. Deputies were trying to find out why the gunmen specifically targeted the group of about 20 migrant farmworkers. Authorities did not disclose how much cash was taken from the workers, but deputies called it "an absurdly small amount." "They may have been reluctant to hand over their wages. The opportunity appears to be convenient, so it's not surprising," Riverside County sheriff's Cpl. Tim Brause said. "The assailants were on the property and they went with a purpose." The attack occurred on the workers' payday, so police said it appeared the gunmen may have known the workers. Police said the robbery may have been less successful because the gunmen were outnumbered by the large group of workers. The gunmen were gone by the time deputies arrived. Deputies said the victims were cooperating with the investigation. Sheriff's deputies and Murrieta police officers, with the aid of a San Diego County sheriff's helicopter, combed the area searching for the gunmen. The 20 farmworkers had just left their base camp at the corner of Los Gatos and Carancho roads at about 7 a.m. when two masked gunmen approached one worker who strayed behind, Brause said. The two men held the worker hostage until the other workers returned at about 2 p.m., Brause said. The gunmen demanded the workers hand over their wages, then started firing a large-caliber handgun at the workers, Brause said. Police do not know what provoked the shooting. The workers were unarmed and scattered. Avocado groves are widely spread throughout the hills south of Temecula near the San Diego County line. The grove where the workers were robbed Saturday is in the unincorporated area of De Luz deep in the hills of lush vegetation and steep terrain. The workers' immigration status was not determined and may be reviewed later by immigration officials, Brause said. However, the criminal investigation would take priority, Brause said. Several migrant workers have been found dead in the hills west of Temecula. Since 1998, there have been seven reported deaths, some shot, beaten or hacked to death, according to previously published reports. Some have involved poker bets gone awry or other disputes.Law enforcement officials who patrol the area have said that most crimes go unreported and suspects are rarely found because migrants fear retaliation. This incident appears to be isolated to the migrant worker community, Brause said. Riverside County sheriff's deputies regularly patrol the area to thwart avocado theft and migrant-worker issues, Brause said. "It's disturbing that this is going on there," Brause said. "We're aware of the necessity to address problems in that area and track and prevent incidents like this."
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