18-year-old charged in shooting death of Marine in Twentynine Palms

San Bernardino County prosecutors charged an 18-year-old man this week in the fatal shooting of a U.S. Marine in Twentynine Palms and the alleged attempted murder of two other people, authorities said.

Rudy Garcia Jr. is accused of killing 35-year-old Robert James McDonald Monday night as he sat in his car with his dog, the Sheriff's Department said in a news release. McDonald was an active duty gunnery sergeant stationed with the Marine Corps Logistics Operations Group in Twentynine Palms, according to the prosecutor's office.

Sheriff's deputies responded shortly before 8 p.m. to reports of a group of four or five people causing a disturbance near the intersection of Old Dale Road and Alpine Avenue, authorities said. Initially, a neighbor attempted to speak with the group, but some individuals became hostile.

Shortly after the exchange, one of the suspects, who was later identified as Garcia, fired several rounds from a gun at the neighbor and another individual, authorities said. Neither was hit, authorities said, and Garcia ran toward Knott Sky Park on El Sol Avenue.

The other people who accompanied Garcia went in a different direction and were not seen again, according to authorities. But Garcia then approached McDonald, who was sitting in his car near a dog park on Foothill Drive, and fired his gun without warning at the vehicle in what authorities said was an attempted shooting. carjacking. McDonald was struck several times and tried to flee, but lost control and crashed into another vehicle, authorities said.

Sheriff's deputies arrived on scene and provided medical treatment to McDonald, but he died at the scene, according to authorities. The people in the other car suffered minor injuries.

Garcia fled but was found by sheriff's deputies near the scene of the shooting a short time later and was taken into custody. A handgun believed to have been used in the shooting was also found in the area, according to the sheriff's department.

The prosecutor's office charged Garcia with murder, attempted carjacking, attempted second-degree robbery, two counts of attempted premeditated murder and two counts of assault with a semi-automatic firearm. Other special allegations were also filed in the case, prosecutors said.

Anyone with information on this case can contact Det. Shawn Thurman at (909) 890-4904. Anonymous tips can be made to (800) 78CRIME or wetip.com.