It was 17-years ago, but neighbor Ted Torosian still remembers. "First thing in the morning, when I get the paper, they were carrying the people out," said Torosian.
Torosian and his wife Rachel noticed the two large campaign signs for Jim Patterson in front of the boarded up bar a few days ago. The signs didn't bother Mr. Torosian. "It happened a long time ago, but maybe the people that died there, their families might not like it."
Mrs. Torosian didn't like them. The location she says, feels inappropriate. "I don't think so ... it looks not very good."
Several people in Central Fresno also found it distasteful for Richard Pombo's campaign to hang signs at the site of another infamous mass murder. Marcus Wesson was convicted of killing nine people in 2004.
Those signs were removed by campaign workers last week. Jim Patterson sees no reason to remove his.
"I'm about hope for tomorrow, not ringing our hands over yesterday," said Patterson.
Patterson who served as mayor of Fresno from 1993 to 2001 says his campaign signs serve as a symbol of how far the city has come in terms of crime reduction.
"I think that sign location is an important one because it reminds people in that area that I would like to earn their vote, but I also hope it reminds them I tried to see that crimes like that didn't happen again. I think the record shows we did a pretty good job," said Patterson.
