7 Shot Dead at Marijuana Grow House

No arrests made after California slayings
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 8, 2020 6:13 PM CDT
7 Shot Dead at Marijuana Grow House
The rural town of Aguanga, in Riverside County, Calif. is seen from State Route 371 on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020.   (AP Photo/Elliot Spagat)

A possible robbery attempt turned into mass murder at a California grow house on Labor Day. Police say seven people were shot dead early Monday at the apparently illegal operation in Aguanga, Riverside County, NBC Los Angeles reports. Police say that after deputies responded to a reported assault with a deadly weapon, they found an injured woman at the residence who died later in a hospital. Another six people inside the residence were pronounced dead at the scene, reports the Los Angeles Times. Hundreds of marijuana plants and around 1,000 pounds of pot were found at the residence in an unincorporated community around 18 miles east of Temecula, authorities say.

"Evidence located at the scene indicated the location was being used to manufacture and harvest an illicit marijuana operation," the Riverside County Sheriff's Department. Police have not released the names of the victims. No arrests have been made but police say they do not believe there is a threat to general public. Dispensary owner Jerred Kiloh, head of the United Cannabis Business Association industry group, tells the AP that "risk is inherent in the underground market,” which has continued to thrive after legalization. "When you have money and high returns, people want to take that from you," he says. He notes that cannabis growing operations are attractive targets for thieves, especially because illegal growers don't tend to report thefts to authorities. (More California stories.)

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