Fresno detectives seek help solving slaying of North Fork man

Police on Friday asked for help solving the slaying of a North Fork man in a shooting Tuesday in central Fresno.

Initially, police believed that they were responding to a traffic collision when they arrived at the scene on Dakota Avenue in front of the Garden Square Apartments about 5:50 p.m., but paramedics found that Michael Smith, 31, had been shot in the chest, said Lt. Larry Bowlan.

Smith died after he was rushed to Community Regional Medical Center.

Police don’t know where the shooting took place, but believe it was nearby.

Initially, the Fresno County Coroner’s Office said Smith was from Cool, east of Auburn, but police said Friday he was living in North Fork.

It is the ninth slaying this year in the city. Last year, there were 13 at this time, Bowlan said. He asked that anyone with information call Crime Stoppers at 559-498-7867.

This story was originally published April 24, 2020 at 12:11 PM.