Man shot while riding bike in Visalia dies at hospital, police say

VISALIA, Calif. (KFSN) -- "That whole driveway over there was full of blood. He kept saying, 'I'm dying. I'm dying. Pray for me.'"

Tonya Whitehouse is describing the agonizing moments after a man was shot while riding his bike on West Cambridge Avenue in Visalia.

Officers responded just after 11 Thursday morning and found the victim suffering from a gunshot wound to his hip.

Whitehouse rushed out to help the man after she heard the gunfire.

"It was pretty bad and I didn't want him to feel alone," she said. "I got on my hands and knees and was holding his legs, praying for God to heal him. To comfort him, you know."

The victim was taken to Kaweah Health Medical Center, where he later died from his injury.

Visalia Police Sgt. Art Alvarez says the department has strong leads in the investigation, but it's too early to comment on a possible motive.

"The incident occurred in very close proximity to a high-crime area," he said. "It's not uncommon for us when we respond to that area to locate firearms or violent activity. It's unknown if this area is related to that incident but we are actively investigating it."

Several neighbors also said it's common to see people riding their bikes since there is a park about a quarter of a mile away from the crime scene.

Authorities say they are still working to notify the victim's family members, so they are not yet releasing his identity.

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call Visalia police.