Man shot and killed in northeast Fresno identified

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Fresno Police has released the name of the man shot and killed in Northeast Fresno Thursday night.

Late Thursday night, Fresno Police were called to an apartment near Fresno State -- there in a courtyard, they found 31-year-old Joel Rueda shot -- he died at the scene.

Through their investigation, detectives learned Rueda had been shot in a nearby apartment. They say everyone inside is being cooperative.

Action News crews at the scene Thursday night saw a woman taken into handcuffs, but police couldn't say if she was connected to the shooting.

Detectives say Rueda has an extensive criminal history and gang ties and while that will help direct their investigation, they say that won't impact how hard they investigate.

"We look forward to providing justice for Joel Rueda despite his history with law enforcement," Leuitenant Paul Cervantes said. "That has no bearing on whether or not we provide maximum effort on this investigation."

Police say although the shooting happened near the university, no Fresno State students are known to be involved.

Less than an hour and a half before that shooting, Fresno Police say four men were shot at an apartment complex on Hughes and Dakota in Central Fresno.

RELATED: 3 hospitalized after shooting in central Fresno, police say

First responders found two when they arrived, another two later showed up at the hospital.

Action News spoke to a man who lives at the Alder Heights Apartments who didn't want to be identified. He described the moments the gunshots rang out Thursday night.

"I heard 'bang bang bang bang bang bang'. Shooting all across the way," the witness said.

One bullet pierced his window and sprayed glass onto his wife.

"She said that she'd been shot. I went and looked, and she ain't been shot. She just say she'd been shot when the glass hit her from the window," witness said.

He says they're now considering moving elsewhere.

The complex manager, who also lives on site, says she worries about residents like the man and his wife and is working to make the community safer.

"We're going to expedite our process of getting the gates and then the cameras set in place," Alder Heights Apartments Manager Gabriela Leyba said. "So that way, unfortunately, if something like this does happen, we have the maximum security and at least something on tape."

Less than a week before, and less than a mile away, two men were hurt and 25-year-old Raymond Martinez was killed in a shooting on Dakota and Teilman.

RELATED: 1 of 3 men shot during party in central Fresno dies, police say

No arrests have been made in that case but police say there could be an arrest within the next several days. The Dakota Shootings are not connected as far as they know

Fresno Police say shootings are down from last year however, that's only part of the story.

There have been twice as many murders. At this time last year, there were only three -- this year, six.

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