Tulare Co. homicide victim identified as 56-year-old dairy owner

TULARE COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- Crime scene tape and patrol cars surrounded a rural Tulare County area after a man was shot and killed on Tuesday.

"He was just a hard-working dairyman who was trying to make a living like all of us, day by day and making the best out of it and it is sad to see that happen in this area," neighbor Duane Maxwell.

Just a few blocks away from Maxwell's home, his long-time neighbor and dairy owner 56-year-old Anthony Dragt was gunned down.

"It is pretty crazy, I know it is probably a single incident, but there are crazy people out there," Maxwell said. "You look at them wrong and they just shoot you instead of anything else."

Investigators with the Tulare County Sheriffs Office say it happened around 2 p.m. this afternoon, just outside Visalia on Avenue 352 near road 100.

Dragt was shot multiple times in front of a dairy that neighbors say he owned.

Paramedics did what they could to save him, but Dragt died from his injuries.

Detectives are still working to get a suspect description.

"We did get information that possibly a dark-colored smaller sedan may be involved," said Sgt. Jesse Cox.

Maxwell says he would often run into Dragt who most people knew as Tony. He says he was a good man who would take time out of his day to check up on his neighbors.

"He is a great guy. If you were out irrigating or something he would stop by and say hi, or what's going on or visit for a while," Maxwell said.

Now the Maxwell's are offering the Dragt family their deepest condolences.

Praying for the best and justice.

"We are just hoping they catch the guy who did this so they can get some closure," said Chaz Maxwell.

Detectives with the Tulare County Sheriffs Office say they're actively working on leads and are asking anyone with any information to contact them.