Donations pour in for street vendor’s family following Fresno homicide in Tower District
Days after a Fresno street vendor was shot and killed in Fresno’s Tower District, the community is rallying in support.
On Sunday, a mural was unveiled in southeast Fresno as homage to 53-year old Jose Rivera.
And by 2 p.m. Monday, over 700 people had donated to the Jose Rivera Memorial on GoFundMe.com. The campaign had raised $21,000 — more than double its $8,000 goal — in less than a day.
In a post on the crowdsourcing site, Rivera’s son said the family is grieving because they won’t be able to see Rivera again: “He was murdered and we have no idea why or how this could have happened.”
He added: “Medical and funerary finances are something I never imaged having to deal with.
“We would appreciate any type of help.”
Rivera was on his tricycle food cart and working near East Olive and North Farris avenues when he was shot multiple times in the upper body just before noon Friday. The gunfire came from a mid-size, dark-colored SUV with one or more suspects inside, police said. The car left the area traveling southbound on Farris Avenue.
Police on Monday were unable to share additional details of the case, saying homicide detectives are “still in the early stages of this event and details are very sensitive to the successful investigation.”
Police had said there was no known motive, but that the shooting didn’t appear to be a robbery or a random act.
They are asking for assistance in providing information on the case. Those will information can contact Fresno Police Department detectives Rai Diaz (559-621-2449) or Micahel Berumen (559-621-2434) or Crime Stoppers at 559-498-STOP (7867).
Rivera’s death was the 57th homicide in Fresno in 2020 and at the second time in as many months that a street vendor was shot. Francisco Velasquez was shot in the leg during an armed robbery in southeast Fresno last month. Three teenagers were arrested in that shooting.
This story was originally published November 23, 2020 at 2:15 PM.