Why was a man targeted in kidnapping at a Fresno business? Deputies keeping mum for now.

The kidnapping and robbery of a man taken from a Fresno business by two armed assailants was not a random incident, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office said Sunday.

Investigators believe the victim was specifically targeted, sheriff’s spokesman Tony Botti said, but “are not revealing a possible motive at this time.”

The incident began to unfold Friday night. Just before 6 p.m., deputies received a call that a man had been taken away in his own truck from a pallet yard at 4125 S. Golden State Blvd., Botti said.

Two men in full face masks, one armed with a handgun and the other a rifle, were said to be involved. The woman who made the call was described as a relative of the kidnap victim.

The man returned on foot a short time later and said that he had been tied up and his cell phone and wallet were taken. It was not known from the information provided by the Sheriff’s Office if the man escaped or if the assailants released him.

Deputies learned that the the victim’s truck was abandoned a short distance from the yard, with the suspects fleeing in a dark colored SUV.

This story was originally published January 10, 2021 at 4:34 PM.