Neighbors hope to ramp up domestic violence awareness after deadly dispute

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Less than 24 hours after a successful neighborhood block party, a deadly shooting has crime scene tape and patrol cars back at the West Shaw Estates.

"This is not gang-related, and while it's unfortunate that it happened here this could have happened anywhere in our community," said Captain Burke Farrah.

Fresno police responded to a domestic violence call at Fairmont and Holt, that quickly escalated just before 11 a.m. Sunday.

"During the disturbance, a family member became involved and was shot and that is our deceased," Farrah said. "So we have a family member that was deceased a suspect in custody the wife was not injured."

CHP's aerial support helped catch the suspect when they spotted him running through a backyard.

"At first, I thought OK medical thing, and then I saw them roping the area off, and I knew it was more,' said neighborhood watch captain John Martin.

Initially thinking it was retaliation for the good work the neighborhood is doing, Martin says while he's glad that wasn't the case, there's more they can do to address domestic violence.

"We're doing good on the criminal side keeping criminals out of the neighborhood, but this is a subject that does affect the community," he said.

Many within the neighborhood are hoping the positive changes when it comes to stopping gang activity will spread to other efforts.

"Hopefully our function and getting together will help drive out dysfunction and this sort of thing," said neighbor Ronald Hollinger. "The more people getting involved, the more we can keep these types of things from happening."

Even though this was an isolated incident, the neighborhood watch is already looking into what domestic violence resources they can have available at their next meetings.