Selma man accused of shooting 3 family members, killing father

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Fresno County deputies have arrested a Selma man accused of killing his father and injuring his mother and sister.

The deadly shooting happened before 5:30 pm Thursday at a mobile home on Clarkson avenue near Cedar.

When deputies arrived, they found 55-year-old Marco Amaya Diaz dead and his 48-year-old wife and their 27-year-old daughter suffering from gunshot wounds.

Both women were taken to the hospital. The suspect's mother is in critical condition, and his sister is in serious condition.

Investigators say there's no indication about why the shooting happened.

They say the family was at their home preparing for a quinceañera this weekend.

Without warning, investigators say the suspect, Eduardo Amaya, 22, started shooting, hitting his mother, father and sister.

He ran out of the home and into the orchards, where he, once again, opened fire.

"When he was fleeing there were some dogs at the property, he started shooting at the dogs and then he saw this other man and he took a number of shots at that man as well," said Fresno County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Tony Botti.

Officials say that man lives elsewhere on the property and thankfully was not injured.

The sheriff's office helicopter crew spotted Amaya and directed deputies on the ground to his location. They arrested Amaya. They also recovered the gun he allegedly used.

A teenage girl and a toddler who were in the home when the shooting happened were uninjured.

The suspect's mother and sister were both rushed to the hospital.

Investigators do not have information about whether the firearm was legally owned and registered.

The sheriff's office says the suspect is known to law enforcement but did not want to elaborate.

Eduardo's last arrest in Fresno County was four years ago, but charges were not filed.

Family members did not want to speak on camera, but tell Action News Eduardo has a mental illness.

The sheriff's office declined to comment on that topic, but say this, overall, was a sad situation.

"To have somebody in the family just go sideways unexplainably and to see a man get his life ended and two others, their lives will never be the same, it's just a complete tragedy," Botti said.

The suspect remains in the Fresno County Jail and is being held without bail.