Teen killed in car at intersection identified. It’s Fresno’s 23rd homicide of year

A teenager died after he was shot while stopped in a car at a southwest Fresno intersection on Easter Sunday, police said, at least the third similar incident on city streets in the past couple of weeks.

The shooting took place just before 4:30 p.m. near Pottle Avenue and Merced Street. Investigators were still trying to determine what led up to the shooting.

Officers arrived and found a man, identified as 18-year-old Kelvonh Williams, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, according to Lt. Anthony DeWall. Williams was taken to Community Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

A car described as a black Chevy Malibu pulled up to Williams’ car at a stop sign, someone inside — believed to be a passenger — fired 10 rounds, and the driver then sped off.

There was another person in the vehicle with Williams, according to DeWall, but they left before police arrived.

The slaying was the 23rd in the city this year.

Police as well as Fresno County sheriff’s deputies have continued to deal with a high level of gun-related incidents in and around the city, a trend that has surged off and on since summer 2020.

▪ On March 22, a man was shot several times while stopped at McKinley and Chestnut avenues. He was able to drive far enough to pick up someone to take him the rest of the way to the hospital.

▪ On March 28, two men were shot while driving near McKinley and Fairfax avenues just west of Cedar Avenue. Authorities said they suspected gang involvement in that incident, which sent both men to the hospital with multiple wounds.

This story was originally published April 4, 2021 at 6:56 PM.