17-year-old boy shot and killed in Southwest Fresno apartment

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A teenager is Fresno's latest homicide victim. Authorities say 17-year-old Benzo Ford was shot and killed Sunday night when several gunshots were fired into a Southwest Fresno apartment he was living in.

The apartment on Clara and Belgravia avenues was hit by several bullets, but Fresno police don't think it was a random shooting. They believe the young man was the target.

There are bullet holes in the outside wall and window frame, but the fatal bullet went right through the bedroom window glass where Ford was standing.

"Several shots were fired. It looks like the suspect walked up in an alley behind the apartment and shot through the window, striking the victim," said Lt. Joe Gomez with the Fresno Police Department.

Witnesses told police several people got out of a car parked in the alley behind the apartment before the shots were fired. Police can't be sure but they say it looks like the teenager was not the victim of a random shooting.

"It was more of a somebody went up there and did it purposely, but unknown why at this point," said Gomez.

At this point, police don't know why the teen may have been targeted, and they are asking the public for help in figuring out who shot Ford.

The death of the 17-year-old is the 26th homicide in Fresno this year.