Palm Springs police make arrest tied to Smart & Final shooting

Palm Springs police have arrested a suspect they say is tied to a shooting that occurred at the Smart & Final grocery store on Ramon Road earlier this year.

Melvin Thomas, 33, of Desert Hot Springs was arrested as he was leaving his residence Friday on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, according to Palm Springs police. Detectives carrying out a search warrant on Thomas' home found two high-powered rifles, one of which was stolen, and a semi-automatic handgun, police said.

Police believe the handgun is the same one that was used during the Smart & Final incident on Jan. 16. Police responded to a report of gunshots on the 5200 block of East Ramon Road around 2 p.m. Witnesses told police that what had started as a fight between two men had escalated into both men shooting at one another, police said.

The suspects fled and no injuries had been reported.

Police did not say at the time how many shots they believed were fired, or whether any bullet casings were recovered at the scene.

Thomas was booked at the John J. Benoit Detention Center in Indio on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, being a felon in possession of a firearm, being in possession of a stolen weapon, carrying a loaded firearm and being in possession of stolen property.

Maria Sestito covers issues of aging in the Coachella Valley. She is also a Report for America corps member. Follow her on Twitter @RiaSestito, on Instagram @RiaSestito_Reporter or email her at maria.sestito@desertsun.com.

Previous reporting by Ani Gasparyan.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Desert Hot Springs man arrested for alleged assault at Smart & Final