How safe is Fresno’s Fashion Fair? Here are most recent public incidents at the mall
Fresno city leaders this week are looking at ways to quash the perception that violence in the city is rising and a major shopping center like Fashion Fair Mall isn’t safe.
Mayor Jerry Dyer and Police Chief Paco Balderrama both said Monday they will meet with representatives of Fashion Fair to discuss security, potentially including profiling for suspected gang members and adding to the officers patrolling the center.
Both the chief and mayor stressed that violence in busy shopping centers is statistically rare, but noted the public nature of any violence there can lead to a perception otherwise.
Here are some of the incidents seen at the mall in recent memory:
The announcement this week followed a brawl among several people about 6:20 p.m. Saturday that ended with a teen stabbed in the armpit, and another with a concussion, according to police.
One man, 27-year-old Prophet Hillard, was arrested related to the violence, police said. He was seen on surveillance video and is expected to be charged with assault with a deadly weapon and gang crimes, according to police.
March 4: Teenage robbery
Police shut down one of the entrances to the mall on Friday, March 4 after a group of teens approached a 16-year-old to demand his belongings, then pulled a gun on him, police said.
A couple of the teens also started beating the victim, police said. Officers arrested a 17-year-old.
August 2021: Detectives shoot man
Two detectives with the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office also shot a suspected car thief in August as he fled in a car in the mall parking lot.
Police said he was a danger to them as he drove toward them.
That happened around 11:15 a.m. Aug. 18, a Wednesday.
April 2021: Shots fired
An altercation in April of last year ended with someone firing shots, according to police. Three men were leaving the main part of the mall when they were approached by another group of four men, police said.
All of the men were between the ages of 18 to 25, witnesses reported to police. The two groups fought around 7 p.m. that day, a Saturday, before one of them fired a handgun, police said.
Police said they arrested 19-year-old Vincent Romo on suspicion of the shooting.
April 2021: Smash-and-grab
Thieves used a hammer to smash a glass case at Valliani Jewelers and steal jewelry on April 24, according to Fresno police.
Police said one of the thieves broke the glass and the other two gathered the loose jewelry before all three took off running. They did not appear to have guns.
Police said they arrested one minor, whose name and age were not released.
March 2021: Smashed glass
A thief on March 9 kicked in a glass display at Zee Jewelers, causing several shoppers to rush out of the mall in a frenzy, according to police.
The thief, who has not been arrested, did not brandish a gun, police said.
January 2021: Shooting incident
A shooting months in January 2021 occurred inside the mall following a confrontation between one man and a group of other men, police said.
The mall was evacuated about 4 p.m. after the shooting on that day, Jan. 2, which was also a Saturday.
A 17-year-old was later arrested for allegedly firing multiple rounds in the mall.
This story was originally published March 15, 2022 at 2:23 PM.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story said two Fresno police officers shot an auto theft suspect in the mall parking lot Aug. 18, 2021.
