2020 Aguanga Shooting

Aguanga is a small unincorporated census-designated place in Riverside County, California, located along State Route 79 near the historic Butterfield Overland Mail route. The community, home to fewer than 1,000 residents as of the 2020 census, became the site of a mass shooting that drew national attention.

On September 7, 2020, deputies with the Riverside County Sheriff's Department responded to a report of an assault with a deadly weapon at a residence on Gibson Road, just off Road Runner Lane along Route 371. Upon arrival, deputies found a woman suffering from gunshot wounds; she later died after being taken to a hospital. Inside the home, deputies discovered six additional victims, all dead from gunshot wounds. In total, seven people were killed — five women and two men, ranging in age from 44 to 64.

Authorities initially stated they believed the shooting was an isolated incident and did not identify a motive or any viable suspects at the time. The property where the shooting occurred was reportedly being used to grow illegal marijuana. The case has been described as the deadliest shooting in the recorded history of Riverside County.

In 2024, authorities reportedly came to believe the killings were connected to a robbery committed by gang members of Laotian descent, with a motive tied to drug competition or robbery. Investigators reportedly noted that approximately 1,000 pounds of marijuana and hundreds of plants were present on the property, representing an estimated $1 million to $5 million worth of drugs. The victims were identified as recent immigrants from Laos. No suspects had been captured or charged.