2 suspects identified in central Fresno shooting that hospitalized 5

Vince Ybarra Image
Tuesday, May 7, 2024
2 suspects identified in central Fresno shooting that hospitalized 5
Fresno Police have identified two men facing charges stemming from a shooting in central Fresno.

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Surveillance footage captured the moment first responders to a central Fresno family party that ended in gunfire Saturday night.

The Fresno Police Department said they are looking for 41-year-old Angel Espinoza.

Detectives said his brother, 39-year-old Juvenal Espinoza, was at a party near Rowell and Hedges Avenues when he was in a physical altercation with someone.

Juvenal quickly left the party but when he returned, it turned even more violent.

"He went back to his residence and got his two other brothers who came back to the location and continued to fight. During the fight, one of the brothers, Angel Espinoza, withdrew a handgun and shot into the group of subjects fighting," said Assistant Public Information Officer Christopher Clark.

Angel struck a 27-year-old woman and two boys, ages 17 and 5. Police said the three victims are expected to be ok.

"He also struck his two other brothers," said Clark.

Police said Juvenal was shot in the wrist and the other brother, who has not been identified, was grazed by a bullet on his leg.

Authorities said that after shots were fired, the three brothers ran from the scene.

Juvenal was later found at Community Regional Medical Center and was arrested.

As detectives continue to look for Angel, crime scene tape still hangs in the neighborhood as a reminder of that intense evening.

Francisco Montes lives just a few houses away from where gunfire erupted.

"We had to go all the way around, this way cause it was blocked," said Montes.

Montes said he left right before the shooting took place. He was nervous when he came back to see police surrounding his neighborhood.

"We wanted to know what's going on 'cause that's our street," said Montes.

After living in the neighborhood for roughly 22 years, Montes never thought a shooting would happen so close to his front door.

"It's scary. Because we've lived here for a long time. A lot of people move in and out of the apartments. It's happened before but nothing like this Saturday," said Montes.

Police say Angel Espinoza is currently wanted for five counts of felony assault with a deadly weapon.

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