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The shooting happened Monday morning around 8:30 at an apartment complex off of Martin Luther King and California. Fresno Police are looking for 43-year-old Ernest Smith. They believe he is responsible for the shooting.
Monday morning got off to a scary start for many people who live here, especially a five-year-old boy. He was outside with his brother when bullets were fired at them. The child was grazed on the chin, and his brother was seriously hurt.
Witnesses say a five-year-old boy came out of his apartment Monday morning to listen to an argument between his big brother and a neighbor. That youngster's decision almost ended in tragedy.
Neighbor, JW Jones said, "He had to come outside to see what was going on with his brother and it so happened that he got caught in the crossfire and I hate it and I hope he pull through."
Police say the child was standing behind his brother when suddenly several shots were fired right at them. Burke Farrah said, "We do not believe the child was the intended target and we are still trying to work with our witnesses and our physical evidence to determine the exact logistics of this shooting."
Police say the suspect, Ernest Smith, confronted the victim about a dispute his children were having with the victim's siblings. It ended in gunfire.
The early morning violence didn't surprise many neighbors who say shootings in this area are common. But, neighbor JW Jones says he is fed up. "I'm going to tell everybody that's out here that has problems with other people. If they want to knuckle up, set down them guns and knuckle up cause one thing about it you can say, he whipped me today but I'm going to get him tomorrow. Put them guns down, put 'em down."
Monday's shooting happened just as classes began at several nearby schools. Martin Luther King Elementary, Edison Computech and Edison High were all put on lockdown while police searched for the gunman.
Neighbors in the complex where the shooting took place say the victim and suspect have had ongoing problems.
Police say Monday morning's violence was not gang related. The five-year-old boy is expected to be ok, his older brother had more serious injuries and underwent surgery, but he is also expected to survive.
