FRESNO, CA (KMJ) – Children are becoming unintended victims of shootings in Fresno.
“We are going to make it very uncomfortable for gang members,” said Fresno Police Deputy Chief Pat Farmer, at a press Conference at Police Headquarters on Monday, after a 4 year-old girl, and a 12 year-old boy were struck recently by gang gunfire.
The girl was grazed in the head by a bullet, and her 20 year-old mom was hit in the chest, when a vehicle pulled up to her home on Nevada near 11th Street on Sunday night and fired at the house.
He said there were ten people inside the home at the time, ranging in age from a one year-old to an 80 year-old that could have been killed by gunfire.
Deputy Chief Farmer said the gunfire was gang-related, calling it “cowardly” and “preventable.”
The boy was shot in the chest on the 2400 block of South Barton.
The child’s family has no gang ties, said Deputy Chief Farmer. Instead, the intended victim was a member of a tagging crew, but seven rounds ended up penetrating the boy’s house.
Both children, and the mother in the separate shootings survived.
In the last week, the MAGEC gang unit and PD’s Street Violence Unit launched a gang operation and have made felony arrests on 76 people, pulled 20 guns off the streets, made 163 parole searches, and 119 misdemeanor arrests.
Deputy Chief Farmer referred back to previous shootings in Fresno where children were killed or seriously wounded by stray bullets.
- In 2015, 9-year-old Janessa Ramirez was shot and killed by a stray round fired by a gang member.
- In 2016, “Baby Rashaad” 20 month-old Rashad Halford Jr. was killed by a bullet fired by a suspected gang member.
- In 2002, Andrew Mitchell was struck by a bullet that left the 6 year-old in a wheelchair.
“There’s been many instances where we have either young innocent people being shot and killed or wounded, said Deputy Chief Farmer. “These shootings from gang members shooting at each other is a cowardly act, and its preventable.”
Deputy Chief Farmer said “if you’re a gang member in the city of Fresno, we’re going to make it very uncomfortable for you.”
Police will be handing the cases over to the Fresno District Attorney’s Office for prosecution, when they make arrests in the case.
They are still looking for the black SUV that shot at the little girl’s home. They believe that several people saw what happened, and are asking witnesses to come forward.
Call Detective Chris Franks at 621-2427 or Detective Rudy Montoya at 621-2442 or they can call Valley Crime Stoppers at 498-STOP (7687) with any information. All tips will remain anonymous.
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