Man in critical condition after central Fresno drive-by shooting

A man is in critical condition Monday after he was hit multiple times by a drive-by shooter – Fresno’s second such shooting in about an hour.

Fresno police Lt. Joe Gomez said officers responded to the intersection of Dakota and West avenues just before 2 p.m. and found a man in his 30s with multiple gunshot wounds. He was taken to Community Regional Medical Center, where he is in “very critical, life-threatening condition,” Gomez said.

The man was sitting in the front passenger seat of his friend’s Jeep Cherokee near the Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant when the shooting occurred, Gomez said. Three other people, including the Jeep’s owner, were inside when a silver 2007 Chevrolet Impala pulled up to the driver’s side of the Jeep. The front passenger of the Impala opened fire, shattering the Jeep’s side window.

Only the front passenger of the Jeep was shot, Gomez said.

The shooter was described as a Hispanic male in his teens. Three other males were inside the Impala when the shooting took place.

Gomez said the shooter and victim may have known each other. The shooting may have been a retaliation for a fight that happened Sunday.

Earlier Monday, a man was hit in a similar shooting in southwest Fresno. Gomez said the two crimes do not appear to be related.

This story was originally published February 6, 2017 at 5:32 PM with the headline "Man in critical condition after central Fresno drive-by shooting."