Fresno police make arrest in Tower District shooting over holiday weekend

Fresno Police have made an arrest in the shooting early Sunday morning in the Tower District, which led to a high-speed chase across the city.

Charles G. Muhammad, 27, is in Fresno County Jail facing felony charges that include assault with a semiautomatic firearm, possession of a firearm by a felon or narcotic drug user, carrying a concealed firearm and person prohibited from possessing a firearm shall not possess ammunition.

Muhammad, one of two persons who was involved in the chase along State Route 180 and to a house in Southeast Fresno, was arrested and booked Sunday morning on multiple charges. Fresno Police announced his arrest in the shooting on Tuesday.

Bail amounts range from $365,000 on the assault with a semiautomatic firearm charge to $5,000 for a person prohibited from possessing a firearm shall not possess ammunition, according to jail records.

The victim in the shooting suffered non-life threatening injury to a lower extremity. A woman also was injured, in the rush of people fleeing the scene.

“We had several officers in the Tower District just doing patrol, making sure all the patrons were safe,” Fresno Police Lt. Zeb Price said, at the scene Sunday morning. “As officers were standing out here, they heard multiple gunshots. They ran toward the gunshots and as they ran toward the area of Linden and Olive (avenues) they found an individual who had been struck by gunfire and evidence of a shooting.

“Other officers found a car speeding away. Officers pursued that vehicle. As they pursued it, a firearm was thrown out the window. That firearm was recovered and our Fresno Police Department helicopter was able to continue to follow that vehicle to the Southeast District.”

Detectives remained on scene in the Tower District for several hours to investigate, reviewing surveillance video and interviewing witnesses.

A second suspect arrested at the scene in Southeast Fresno was released on bond.