FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — ‘Mass chaos’ is how witnesses describe the scene Thursday night in Downtown Fresno.
Hundreds of people were seen running, hiding, and screaming after several brawls broke out.
“It was like a normal Art Hop night. We just saw people running, running, running, yelling go, go, go,” says Rowell Reyes, witness.
Police say a 17-year-old boy and an 18-year-old woman were both stabbed in separate fights near Fulton Street. A 29-year-old woman also sustained a broken nose.
Social media video shows officers chasing someone through a full crowd. Seven people in all were detained, and since released.
“As our officers moved in and tried to break up the scene, we did have multiple people resist arrest, some may have even assaulted officers,” says Lt. Justin Hoagland, Fresno Police Department.
Fresno Police say so far no arrests have been made in these brawls that left two people stabbed, we’re told both of the victims are expected to survive.
The violence, casting a dark cloud over the vibrant Art-Hop event, and growing brewery district.
“We have a really rich culture down here, that I just want to share. I’m here 5 to 6 days a week. I see how art hop and our store help a lot of the community,” says Fabio Linares, Owner of Bad Kids Club and Art Hop Organizer.
Fabio Linares owns Bad Kids Club located inside the Fulton Mall, and is one of the Art Hop organizers.
Frustrated, he tells Action News; he hopes this violence doesn’t detour people from Downtown. He’s now calling for change, as the fights happened in unsanctioned dead space in-between the brewery district and Art Hop.
“I believe that the Downtown Fresno Partnership and the Arts Council recognize that all areas of this closure need to be used effectively. There cannot be any dead space where people who aren’t interested in participating can congregate and cause problems,” says Linares.
Police are now canvassing the area for video surveillance to find those responsible. Once arrested the suspects could face felony assault charges.
“I think these are people who need to be held accountable. We need to continue to keep those kinds of people off the streets so we can have nice things occurring and events occurring downtown for the citizens of Fresno and outlying communities who want to come here to attend those events and enjoy them with their family. That’s what it’s all about,” says Lt. Larry Bowlan, Fresno Police Department.
Ahead of this Easter Weekend Police tell Action News they are adding extra patrols at several parks and neighborhoods to keep people safe as they come together to celebrate.
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