Homicide update: Security guard, unarmed, shot after encounter at Fresno motel on Blackstone

An unarmed security guard at a Motel 6 in Fresno was gunned down after a brief encounter with several people Tuesday night, police reported Wednesday.

The guard, who worked for Black Python Security, was stationed at the Motel 6 on North Blackstone Avenue and East Griffith Way when the deadly encounter took place, Lt. Larry Bowlan said.

The victim, who had not been identified by early Wednesday afternoon, had worked for the security firm since early 2021. Police at the shooting scene said he also was not wearing any type of body armor when he was shot in the chest.

UPDATE: Motel 6 shooting victim identified by police

Bowlan said witnesses reported that there was some type of disturbance on the second floor of the motel shortly after 10 p.m.

The guard went to investigate, and after a brief “verbal exchange,” someone in a group of between two and five individuals pulled a firearm and fired once. The group then ran from the motel, and it was not immediately clear whether they escaped in a car.

Police were reviewing video Wednesday, and asking that anyone with information call to police at 559-621-7000 or Crime Stoppers at 559-498-7867.

It was the 49th homicide of the year in Fresno, compared to 26 in 2020 at this time.

Bowlan said that there had been previous incidents at the motel, but added that police have worked with the owner, resulting in fewer calls for service.

In a previous incident at the motel, Justin Garza, 23, was shot to death in 2019 in the parking lot while providing security for an exotic dancer. Randy Jones, then 29, was booked on murder charges in the incident, which police reported grew out of a $30,000 debt owed by Jones to a stripper service. Jones is awaiting trial.

This story was originally published August 25, 2021 at 1:45 PM.