FRESNO (KMJ) — An overnight shooting in Northeast Fresno has put one person in the hospital, and Fresno Police say it appears to be gang related.
Officers were called to the University Inn at Shaw and Woodrow Avenues around 10pm Tuesday after reports of shots fired. The first officer on scene arrived to find a gun battle in progress, ordered the suspects to drop their weapons, and fired multiple rounds at the suspects as they tried to flee.
“I was really amazed at how calm the officer was able to maintain himself,” said Deputy Chief Andy Hall. “He was able to control the people coming out of their rooms, he was able to provide aid and comfort to the shooting victim, and he was very composed.”
One person was injured and taken to the hospital. The 33 year old man underwent surgery and is in a stable condition.
Two other men were arrested at the scene. 34 year old Jimmy Fidel Martinez was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, and 25 year old Erik Martinez arrested for resisting arrest and interfering in the investigation. The two are cousins.
Two other men fled the area and are believed to be still at large.
“I heard the helicopter and it kept going in circles with the spotlight. Sounded like they were looking for someone,” explained local resident Maia Spight.
“Then they said ‘you’ve got ten minutes then we’re going to send in the police K-9 dog’. Then I heard what sounded like pop-pop-pop-pop.”
The incident site is across the road from the Fresno State campus and the Save Mart Center. Spight described it as a dangerous part of Fresno.
“They tend to have a lot of drive-by shootings or just people driving really fast. It sounds like they had the siren going on and off, then they were speeding up. That’s pretty much what I heard”
Anyone with information that could help investigators can contact Valley Crime Stoppers on 888-498-STOP.
Hear the report from KMJ’s Dominic McAndrew as it aired:
