Fresno police are investigating after gunfire damaged two businesses in the Tower District early Sunday morning, marking the latest violent incident in an area that has seen several high-profile crimes this year.<\/p>\n
EDITOR’S NOTE: The video above is from a previous broadcast and will be updated.<\/p>\n
Officers responded to reports of shots fired around 2:24 a.m. near Fulton Street and Dennett Avenue, about one block south of the Tower Theatre.<\/p>\n
Security video obtained exclusively by Action News shows two groups meeting in front of a home on Dennett Avenue and exchanging words before one person pulls out a gun and opens fire. The surveillance video captured at least 10 rounds being fired.<\/p>\n
Police officers who were already nearby heard the gunfire and quickly responded, locating multiple shell casings on Dennett Avenue west of Fulton Street.<\/p>\n
Investigators say a music video was being filmed in the area at the time. According to police, several people who were denied entry left and fired multiple rounds before fleeing.<\/p>\n
No injuries were reported.<\/p>\n
The owner of a nail studio on Dennett Avenue arrived Sunday morning to find a bullet hole in a wall and a bullet on the floor. Around the corner on Fulton Street, another business sustained damage and had a window boarded up.<\/p>\n
Police said a preliminary review indicates the people involved had no connection to Tower District activities along Olive Avenue.<\/p>\n
The shooting occurred during the first weekend of Fresno’s new safety plan for the Tower District, announced days after an Oct. 18 shooting that injured two people, including a bystander waiting in line outside a nightclub.<\/p>\n
The city’s strategy includes increased foot patrols, designated pickup and drop-off zones along Olive Avenue, brighter street lighting and relocating food vendors to a designated vendor area.<\/p>\n
Ahead of the weekend, Fresno Police Deputy Chief Joe Alvarez said he hoped the changes would help reduce violence in the area.<\/p>\n
“I’m hoping for an incredibly quiet weekend where people just get to enjoy the businesses with nothing else happening,” Alvarez said.<\/p>\n
The Tower District has experienced several violent incidents this year.<\/p>\n
The year began with a New Year’s Day stabbing outside Bobby Salazar’s that injured two men and led to three arrests. In May, a man was shot following a fight near Olive and Linden. In August, another man was wounded after a fight near Olive and Lucerne escalated into a shootout.<\/p>\n
On Sept. 26, 28-year-old Tyrone Miles was shot and killed near Olive and Linden. Police arrested a 19-year-old in that case.<\/p>\n
Most recently, on Oct. 18, two people were shot, including an innocent bystander standing in line to enter a nightclub. Police arrested a 16-year-old in connection with that shooting.<\/p>\n
Alvarez said reducing gun violence remains the department’s top priority.<\/p>\n
“I want all of our children to sleep without gunfire; that’s been something that I said forever because if you think about that, if they don’t hear gunfire, that means something bad isn’t happening. No one deserves to be a victim of gun violence, and at that point we need to make sure that we do everything we can so that no one can be a victim,” Alvarez said.<\/p>\n
The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Fresno Police Department.<\/p>\n
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