Murder charges won’t be filed in shooting that left man dead in northwest Fresno park, police say
Fresno police announced Monday that no charges will be filed in the case of a shooting that left a 26-year-old man dead at a northwest Fresno park.
After weeks of investigating, police detectives believe the fatal shooting Feb. 17 stemmed from a planned meeting between two groups at a park on Milburn and Alluvial avenues. That meeting around 2 p.m. led to a failed robbery and ended with shots being fired from both groups.
Brandyn Harris was killed.
“The department has vetted this through the DA’s Office,” Fresno police spokesman Sgt. Jeff La Blue said, “and they have decided they will file it as a homicide, but a justified homicide through self-defense.”
La Blue said this is because Harris was armed at the time of an alleged attempted robbery regarding narcotics. The person that shot Harris is in police custody. He is not facing murder charges but could face other charges, La Blue said. The same goes for others involved.
The department isn’t yet releasing names of others involved because there are still “several variables” as investigations continue, La Blue said.
Homicide detectives located all the people believed to be involved in the deadly shooting and also followed up with witnesses as well as evidence and surveillance, according to a police news release.
One group got back in their car and drove off at a high rate of speed following the shooting, police said. The incident took place in the parking lot that overlooks the San Joaquin River.
This story was originally published March 9, 2020 at 3:20 PM.
