Son accused of killing mom in fatal Palm Springs shooting Monday morning

A 36-year-old Palm Springs woman was fatally shot—allegedly by her teenage son—in their home just north of Demuth Park early Monday, police said.

At an afternoon press conference, Palm Springs police said they arrested Brian Conroy, 19, on murder charges in connection with the shooting death of his mother, Amber Lane, who worked as the marketing director at Wang's in the Desert restaurant.

Joy Meredith, president of Palm Springs' Main Street Merchants association, said Lane was a positive woman and her role at Wang's "fit her well."

"It's shocking," Meredith said of Lane's death. "It's just really crazy."

The shooting was reported—via 911—about 4:30 a.m. on Calle San Antonio, at the intersection of Paseo Dorotea.

Paramedics rushed the woman to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead sometime between 6:30 and 7 a.m. Officers detained Conroy at the home with two other men identified as Lane's husband and stepson. Neither played a role in the killing, police said.

"We only have one suspect in this. Everyone else has been released," Palm Springs police Sgt. William Hutchinson said during the press conference.

An October 2016 article in the Palm Desert Patch identified Conroy as a Palm Springs High School Arts Institute student who played bass in a school jazz ensemble called “The Suits.”

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Conroy, who was still being interviewed at the police station Monday afternoon, is expected to be booked into the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility in Banning.

Hutchinson wouldn't disclose details on what led to the shooting. It appears all activity was confined to the home and "at this point, we don't think there's a public safety risk," the sergeant said.

He added investigators searched the home and he believed a weapon was likely recovered.

A white Toyota Tacoma was parked in the driveway of the house, and "no trespassing" and "beware of dogs" signs were visible on a fence.

Police blocked access to Calle San Antonio at Paseo Dorotea, but homeowners could still get to the street from Calle Santa Cruz to the east.

The scene was a block south of Cielo Vista Charter School, but classes were not in session because of Thanksgiving.

Several residents said they were asleep when the shooting occurred and they were surprised to see police activity on their street.

None of them knew the family but they often waved to each other in passing.

Cindy Harris, 53, lives south of the shooting scene and she said she was shaken by police presence in her neighborhood.

"I just knew something bad must have happened," she said. "This is usually a quiet neighborhood, so it's sad thinking someone was hurt."

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