Gunshots fired after high school football game in Fresno. 19-year-old struck multiple times
Update: Suspect in shooting after Fresno football game faces multiple charges
Multiple gunshots were fired Friday night wounding one person following a high school football game between Bullard and Central at Koligian Stadium.
Approximately six shots were believed to be fired around 10:10 p.m., about five minutes after Central defeated Bullard 51-32 in a season-opening game between the rival schools.
Fresno Police said one person was shot, a 19-year-old male who was struck multiple times and transported to Fresno Community Regional Medical Center. He was listed in stable condition.
It is unclear if the shooting victim is a student at either high school.
“The game was ending, people were trying to get out,” Lt. Sean Biggs said. “There were parents coming in, trying to pick up their students, their children.
“Then this happened, everything kind of stops. People panicked, understandably.”
Biggs said several officers had been assigned to work the game, and that some observed the incident and immediately chased after the suspect into the streets after the shooting.
Biggs said a 19-year-old male was detained for questioning and that a firearm was recovered, as was the vehicle of the possible suspect.
It was not immediately known if the person detained is a student at either school.
Fresno Police did say the shooting appeared to be gang-related and described it as an “isolated incident.”
Wild scene
Chaos erupted after the shooting, which occurred at the main parking lot that’s used by fans of both schools and located near the southwest entrance of Koligian Stadium.
Fans from both schools were exiting Central’s football stadium — located west of Highway 99, near Grantland and Ashlan avenues — when the gunshots were fired.
Many rushed back inside the football venue with some yelling and screaming.
A few fans hid under bleachers.
Outside the stadium, some fans raced to get inside their vehicles.
And there were some people who appeared to be confused or even unaware that a shooting took place.
Though several police officers already were on the scene, having been staffed to work the game, more cop cars eventually arrived with their lights flashing and sirens blaring.
A helicopter circled the stadium with someone from the chopper instructing people to leave the parking lot.
That was easier said then done as traffic jammed the exits.
Biggs said there were a few disturbances during the game that occurred inside the stadium but described it as “nothing out of the ordinary.”
About 45 minutes after the game ended, players from both teams, as well as cheerleaders, started to leave the stadium after they had been held inside immediately after the shooting.
Police were not sure if any other vehicles or structures were hit from the gunshots.
This story was originally published August 20, 2021 at 10:23 PM.
