19-year-old, 2 teenagers arrested after man shot in Hanford, police say
HANFORD, Calif. (KFSN) -- A 19-year-old man and two teenagers have been arrested on attempted murder charges following a shooting Thursday morning in Hanford, police said.
According to Hanford police, the incident happened around 6:45 a.m. when the group approached a 35-year-old man near an elementary school, leading to what authorities described as a violent exchange.
"As soon as officers arrived on scene, which was only within a couple of minutes, they discovered a male on 11th and Thompson with two gunshot wounds to his upper body; he had fled east bound from the location," Hanford police spokesman Justin Vallin said.
Police identified one of the suspects as 19-year-old Xavier Gutierrez. The names of the two juvenile suspects were not released.
Investigators said the relationship between the suspects and the victim remains unknown. However, police said surveillance video from the area has helped the investigation.
"Video surveillance we got from the area shows that the victim was approached by three males," Vallin said.
Police believe the attack may have been gang-related.
"We believe it was gang related as the victim did tell us as the suspect asked him what his gang affiliation was, that is when he was pistol whipped by one of the suspects," Vallin said.
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Authorities said the suspects fled through a field toward a home on Echo Lane. Police later responded to the residence with a SWAT team.
"As the SWAT team arrived on scene a male ran into the residence which heightened our awareness for our SWAT team... At the end we took about 5 people out of the residence," Vallin said.
People who were detained at the residence told reporters their phones were confiscated.
The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Hanford Police Department.
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