Visalia police seek gunman who killed 1, wounded 1

VISALIA, Calif. (KFSN) -- Police in the South Valley are trying to figure out who shot two men early Sunday morning -- killing one of them. The shooting happened in the northern part of Visalia.

Visalia police say an officer was patrolling when they were flagged down by a man hobbling toward the car. The man said he and a friend had been shot; that friend has died, and police are hoping to piece together what happened.

The sound of gunfire woke up a neighborhood in Visalia early Sunday morning. Neighbors say they heard several shots before police were called to the 200 block of Northwest 2nd Avenue and Locust Street around 3 a.m. A man, shot in the leg, also flagged down a Visalia police officer.

"He had told us that unknown persons had shot at him and struck not only him but also his friend that was at a nearby home," said Damon Maurice of the Visalia Police Department.

Police say officers found a man on a porch who had been shot. He died from those injuries.

"He had been struck several times with gunfire," said Maurice.

Now police are talking with the first victim, trying to figure out what went wrong.

"We're going to take his information obviously and verify everything he's telling us," said Maurice.

Police say they do know the two victims. They're hoping that the information the surviving victim is giving them will help solve the crime.

Police also want to hear from any witnesses in the area. Anyone with information about this crime is asked to contact Visalia police.