One killed, two injured in shooting in Fresno County. Sheriff seeking suspects

Fresno County Sheriff’s detectives are searching for the suspects in a triple shooting Friday morning near the western Fresno County town of Five Points.

Jose Mendez Varela, 19, of Coalinga was killed and two others were shot multiple times but are expected to survive, the sheriff’s office said.

The sheriff’s office received a report of shots fired around 7:30 a.m. and responded to a vineyard near South Butte and West Chandler avenues, northwest of Huron.

Deputies found Varela had been shot to death. The other men had multiple gunshot wounds and were airlifted to a hospital, according to the sheriff’s office.

One is listed in critical condition, the other is in serious condition.

Detectives were looking for two suspects who left the area in a car.

The victims and suspects were working together, pruning grape vines, when the gunfire broke out, the sheriff’s office said, though a motive for the shooting has not been determined.

Detectives are interviewing other farm workers to identify and locate the suspects. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Jesse Gloria at 559-600-8217 or Valley Crime Stoppers at 559-498-7867, valleycrimestoppers.org.

This story was originally published April 16, 2021 at 8:53 AM.