2 shootings in Central Fresno leave 2 dead, police search for suspects

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Police officers are searching for suspects responsible for two separate fatal shootings in Central Fresno Friday night.

They both happened off of the same street just miles apart, but police officers say the murders are not connected and they don't believe they're gang related either

Officers responded to calls of the first shooting close to 7 p.m. off of Normal Avenue and Mayfair Drive and found 21-year-old Rahman Newsome lying in the street with multiple gunshot wounds. Neighbors in the area were too afraid to go on camera Saturday but say bystanders ran to help the victim after it happened. Police officers and first responders also tried to give him CPR, but Newsome later died at the hospital.

"At this point in the investigation it looks like he was just leaving a friend's house, he was on his way home," said Sergeant Sean Biggs.

Then just hours later about 10:30 p.m. police officers received more calls of shots fired off of Normal Avenue near Chestnut in East Central Fresno, just miles away from the other crime scene. Where again, they found a victim lying in the street suffering from a gunshot wound who later died from his injuries at the hospital. He's been identified as 35-year-old Sonny Tran.

Police officers say he was standing outside of his home with two other people when he was shot once and collapsed. They say family members rushed outside of the home after hearing the gunshots and the two other people Tran was with were gone. Police officers are not sure if they are suspects in the murder.

Witnesses again in this neighborhood, too afraid to show their faces on camera but say in the time they have lived there they have never seen anything like this.

Police officers just because of the close proximity and time frames of the shootings do not mean they are not connected.

"One of the things we do know at this exact time is that these two incidents they're not related they involved separate sets of suspects," said Sgt. Biggs.

Friday night's homicides bring the total to 46 murders in Fresno so far this year.

Police say officers are still talking with witnesses and searching for surveillance videos to find the suspects but if anyone has any information that can help track them down you can call the Fresno Police Department.