‘Gang-banging’ not tolerated as Fresno police crack down on illegal guns, chief says
Fresno Police Chief Paco Balderrama has a message for gang members.
“If you’re gang-banging in the city of Fresno, there are going to be consequences,” Balderrama said at a news conference Friday. We’re not going to stop until we can change things and make this community as safe a place as we can.”
Balderrama, on the job since Jan. 11, came on as Fresno was concluding a violent year with 732 shootings and 74 homicides.
The chief said that 71% of the homicides in 2020 were gang-related.
At the end of Balderrama’s first week as chief, Fresno police on Jan. 15 started a gang crackdown. There have been eight gang-related homicides and about 40 shootings in Fresno this year.
“The trend and frequency are starting to go down,” Balderrama said. “That is something very positive that we’re seeing and we’re going to continue to do what works in order to lower our crime overall.”
On Thursday, six people were detained in northwest Fresno around 3:30 p.m., and were later arrested in an ongoing gang operation.
The Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium unit received information that there were gang members with guns near Blackstone and Nees avenues.
Detectives found three vehicles and attempted to conduct a traffic stop on them.
Two of the vehicles stopped, but the third, described as a black BMW, led detectives on a short chase that ended in the Woodward Park area.
Balderrama said stolen guns were recovered.
“Things your average person does not carry,” he said. “Not legal, registered guns. Stolen guns, full automatic weapons, modified shotguns ... We feel very happy that we took them off the streets. Ten high-powered, stolen weapons in one bust is pretty significant.”
This story was originally published February 12, 2021 at 1:33 PM.
