Family say 16-year-old homicide suspect still critical after being shot by Fresno Police
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- In the early morning hours after Isaiah Murrietta was shot by a police officer, family members were already fearing the worst.
"My nephew is right here," a family member said. "May he rest in piece nephew. I miss you and I will always miss you."
Police say Murrietta is a suspect in the murder investigation of 19-year-old Eugenio Ybarra. Ybarra died Friday when he drove his car into a tree in northeast Fresno after two men fired shots through his back window.
Detectives believe Murrietta and his 17-year-old brother are those suspects, but the boys' grandfather disagrees.
"They lived with me," Israel Murrieta said. "I raised them boys since babies - all the way from babies - I raised them. They were good kids."
Family members are now left with many questions - one being why the 16-year-old, who they say was a good kid, was shot.
"I understand you guys, Fresno PD, you got to do your job and I respect you to help all of us stay safe, but sometimes you guys overreact," a relative said. "And this one time, I think you guys overreacted because you shot an unarmed 16-year-old kid who was running because he was scared."
Family members say doctors are expected to run tests on Murrietta to determine if he is clinically dead on Monday.
The family originally told Action News they were mourning Murrietta's death even though he is still hanging on. They also say the brother who is wanted for the murder turned himself in after the shooting.
Action News reached out to police to confirm if that is true and to get an update on this investigation, but we were told the department would not be responding until Monday.
