Hikers on the Parker Lake Trail near Yosemite National Park reported hearing and feeling gunshots in their vicinity on September 26, according to the Mono County Sheriff’s Office. The hikers called 911, and a dispatcher could hear gunfire as they spoke.
The hikers told deputies that bullets passed by them while they took cover behind rocks and trees until the shooting ceased. “Responding deputies were able to ascertain where the shots were coming from and, fearing an active shooter, immediately moved toward the sound of fire,” the sheriff’s office stated. Deputies located three individuals target shooting north of the trail.
The three suspects, identified as being from Southern California, stopped firing when law enforcement arrived. They were arrested and charged with willful discharge of a firearm in a grossly negligent manner.
“While no injuries were reported, they were definitely in harm’s way and justifiably frightened,” deputies said about the hikers.
Mono County is located east of Yosemite National Park and is approximately 225 miles southeast of Sacramento.
