Parlier girl shot in the eye returns home to more gunfire

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A Parlier teen who spent two weeks in the hospital after being caught in the middle of gang crossfire returned home to more gunfire.

A lone Parlier police car sits feet away from the crime scene, feet away from where 16-year-old Brianna Ramirez was shot. Circles still line the street where shell casings were spotted. 2 weeks later, more gunfire, shots waking up the neighborhood and bringing police back to Tuolumne and Fett.

Chief David Cerda said, "We've got units patrolling that area heavily and they're stationed in that area as well to ensure the community that the police department is doing everything it can to ensure their safety."

Cerda tells Action News there's no evidence this latest shooting is connected to the one that wounded Ramirez. "It could be random, neighbors shooting their weapons, could be a component of shots fired in areas we've investigated prior."

Connected or not, police aren't happy, and neither are the neighbors. Afraid to show their faces worried as the violence seems to be escalating.

"I don't blame them, absolutely," said Cerda. "Shootings are very dangerous, gun violence has always proven that innocent bystanders are the ones that get hurt from the gun violence and drive by shootings."

Brianna Ramirez was one of those victims. An aspiring softball player, a solid athlete, a good student who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. While she recovers police are stepping up their force putting more boots on the ground.

Cerda said, "We do have limited staffing but we have recruited an additional four officers we just hired so it is becoming a much more attainable goal to deter this type of crime."

Which he hopes aim to stop the gunfire one bullet at a time.