Suspects arrested in deadly shooting in downtown Visalia restaurant identified

Tuesday, September 9, 2025
VISALIA, Calif. (KFSN) -- Crews were in and out of Sebby's Italian Steakhouse in Downtown Visalia on Monday for cleaning and repairs.

Just two days before, a 22-year-old man was shot and killed inside the business. Two other people were also hit by bullets.

Visalia Police say the shooting happened around 1:45 a.m. Saturday following an argument.

By Saturday evening, police had arrested 20-year-old Eduardo Moreno Torres on a charge of attempted murder.

20-year-old Raymond Vasquez was also arrested and will be booked on a murder charge once he's medically cleared.



Police did not clarify how he was injured.

RELATED: Shooting at Visalia restaurant leaves one dead, two hospitalized, police say

Despite the deadly shooting, people in downtown Monday said they feel safe and this wouldn't stop them from enjoying the area.

"All of my family and friends are here. We do a lot of life here," Visalia resident Stephanie Brokaw said. "I think if anything, just being in the know is helpful, but I don't feel any need to stay away."

Sebby's acting manager, Joseph Zavala, says they're now looking at ways to better protect their patrons.



"We can't control the world, but we are going to try our best to control the environment that we have," he said.

"The owners are considering higher security policies and regimens, including metal wanding and pat downs of anyone they deem suspicious, just to keep the community, the venue, the restaurant and the nightclub safer," Zavala continued.

The city is looking at taking its own steps.

Steve Nelsen is a city council member and CEO of Downtown Visalia. He says city officials will be meeting this week to discuss the response to the shooting and look at ways to prevent another such incident.

He'll also be meeting with the businesses that serve alcohol.



"Not to meet and point fingers, but to have a meaningful discussion where we can say this needs to change or we need to do this or that, and that way I can go back to city officials, have a seat at the table and say this is what the owners and managers of the restaurants would like to see happen," Nelsen said.

Even as they take these steps, Nelsen wants to assure people this kind of violence in downtown is rare and says the area is safe overall.

The victims have not been identified, and police haven't said if or how the victims and suspects knew each other.

Sebby's was closed by the city, but Zavala says it's because of a fire suppression system that they are working on installing.

He expects that to take a few days but is not sure when the city will allow them to reopen.

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