4 shootings in SE Fresno over the weekend, not related but share common element, police say

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Counselors at Tioga Middle School and 14-year-old Nena Ouch is still in the hospital after Fresno Police say the eighth-grader was shot while watching television Saturday afternoon.

A day earlier, a 13-year-old King's Canyon Middle School student was shot and grazed in the leg.

Chief Jerry Dyer says the shootings are not related but share a common element. The homes were targeted because of the other people who live there.

"Anytime you are involved in gangs, or any other type of criminal activity-that violence is likely to strike your family and that's what we saw on both of these cases, Friday and Saturday with a 14-year-old and a 13-year-old shot," said Dyer.

Superintendent Bob Nelson said the violence, although at the student's home, is important to address because it has hurt and stunned classmates on two separate campuses.

"To have them exposed to random violence that occurs in our community is just one of the most difficult things that we could imagine. Obviously, these instances where we had students' shot- which were not directly gang affiliated but happened to be in the line of fire, because of issues that are no fault of their own is something that we have to grapple with. It's difficult," said Nelson.

Police say this home on east McKenzie in southeast Fresno was also targeted when two shooters unloaded 18 rounds directly on the home. It's the only weekend shooting where someone wasn't hit.

Chief Dyer says a drive-by shooting close to midnight Sunday at Cedar and Balch also left 21-year-old Francisco Vargas dead. Detectives say he was released from prison last month and was also a gang member.

"Between the Southeast Fresno shootings with Asians and Hispanics and what we've just overcome with the West Fresno gangs- we have a lot of resources committed to the southern portion of the city in addressing the gang violence," said Dyer.