In fact, Action News learned officers were at the scene of the crime just hours before the shooting happened. The manager of /*Nick's Bar*/ tells us he's frustrated and feels like his business is getting a bad rap following what happened on September 27th.
That's when police found /*Branden Cervantez*/ with several gunshot wounds. The father of seven died at the hospital. Investigators say the 30 year old tried to break up a fight between two women and somehow ended up getting shot in the alley behind the bar. Police recently revealed that this is not the first time they've been to Nick's bar.
Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer said, "It just so happens on the shooting at Nick's bar that turned out to be a murder our policing officers were out there the day before working with the bar owner."
The Chief says his officers had repeatedly been called to the bar because of gang members, excessive drinking and assaults. There were so many, that they called a meeting, asked the bar owners to sit down and discuss ways in which they could prevent problems. Late into that evening and hours after they left, Branden Cervantez was killed.
Chief Dyer said, "That's not good for the patrons coming there and certainly not good for our city and we're taking steps to eradicate that."
As for the bar owners they tell ABC30 the problem lies with the neighborhood that surrounds the establishment, and that their business should not be blamed. But if you ask the Cervantez family, they tell Action News while nothing will bring the young father back they wish that something had been done to prevent his death.
Police are still working to make sure there aren't future problems at the bar.
