Suspected Bulldog gang member arrested with sawed-off shotgun

A suspected Bulldog gang member was arrested Wednesday afternoon after officers found him trying to ditch a sawed-off shotgun in southwest Fresno, police say.

Just before 6 p.m., officers in the Southwest Special Response Team were policing the area of Bardell and Grove avenues when officers noticed two male juveniles looking in their direction and acting suspicious.

Officers caught up with the two young men and noticed one, a 17-year-old and a member of the Fresno Bulldog gang, was attempting to leave behind a 12-gauge sawed-off shotgun in the backyard of a nearby home.

The suspect told officers the shotgun was for protection from a retaliating rival gang.

The suspect was booked into Fresno County juvenile hall.

It is illegal to possess a sawed-off shotgun with a barrel length that’s less than 18 inches, unless the individual has obtained a taxed permit from the ATF.

Sawed-off shotguns can be especially deadly because the ammunition is propelled faster than if the barrel was complete.

This story was originally published January 23, 2019 at 10:10 PM.