South Valley house with children inside was shot up, police say. Five men got arrested

Five men were arrested on Thursday — three on suspicion of attempted murder — after a months-long investigation into a street gang in Porterville.

The case began Aug. 18 when Porterville police showed up to the 2100 block of West Tomah, after someone shot into a house with children.

Police eventually arrested: Daniel Gonzalez, 32, of Porterville; Francisco Gutierrez, 23, of Woodville; Erik Izquierdo, 20, of Exeter; Franklin Romero, 20, of Porterville; and Leonel David Vasquez, 21, of Tulare.

SWAT teams from the Tulare County Sheriff’s Department and Visalia and Tulare police helped detain them.

Gutierrez, Vasquez and Izquierdo were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, shooting into an inhabited dwelling and participation in a criminal street gang. Izquierdo was also a felon caught in possession of a gun and ammunition, police said.

Romero was arrested for conspiracy of attempted murder and participation in a criminal street gang, and Gonzalez for being an accessory to a felony, being a felon in possession of guns, ammunition and a high-capacity magazine and participation in a criminal street gang, police said.

A total of five handguns, one assault rifle and hundreds of rounds of ammunition were confiscated.

Detectives created a large scale investigation into a “southern affiliated criminal street gang,” police said, and search warrants were issued for the men.

Police went to several locations during the investigation and arrests: the 900 block of West Lybarger Ave. in Porterville; the 500 block of North Fir Way in Porterville; the 1600 block of West Olive Ave. in Porterville; the 16000 block of South Avenue in Woodville; the 400 block of East Garden Court in Tulare; the 25000 block of Road 108 in Tulare and the 2100 block of East Alfred Ave. in Exeter.