Man takes his own life after shooting woman inside Tower District home, police say

A man who shot a woman inside a Tower District home Wednesday night took his own life after police surrounded the home.

Lt. Mark Hudson confirmed that the man was dead when officers entered the house on North Arthur Avenue south of West Yale Avenue early Thursday. It appeared he died by his own hand, Hudson said.

The Fresno County Coroner’s Office on Thursday said the victim had a fatal gunshot wound and identified him as Eslevan Navarro, 27, of Fresno.

Crisis negotiators were called to the home Wednesday night after Navarro allegedly shot the woman then hid inside the home.

Officers found the woman around 8 p.m. in the front yard of a home in the 2100 block of Arthur, according to Lt. Anthony DeWall on Wednesday night. She had been shot several times in her upper body, and police put her in a patrol car.

Officers took her to Community Regional Medical Center without waiting for an ambulance, DeWall said, because they didn’t know if the shooter was nearby.

She was able to speak and was expected to survive. Police did not release her name or age. Police say she and the shooter were in a relationship, and the shooting stemmed from a domestic dispute.

Initially, several young children all under 5 years old were inside the home with the suspect. But they made it out safely after police arrived. The only person who remained inside was Navarro, DeWall said.

Before entering the home, officers attempted to make contact with Navarro to get him to surrender, DeWall said.

This story was originally published January 29, 2020 at 10:31 PM.