Fresno security guard who was shot to death at Motel 6 identified by police
The unarmed security guard who was shot to death Tuesday night at a Motel 6 was identified by police as 24-year-old Philip Frusetta of Fresno.
Officers responded around 10:19 p.m. at the Motel 6 near Blackstone and Griffith avenues in central Fresno, where they discovered a man shot in his chest.
Despite life-saving measures by officers immediately upon locating the victim, Frusetta died at the scene.
Frusetta worked for Black Python Security, Lt. Larry Bowlan said Wednesday.
He had worked for the security firm since early 2021.
Police at the shooting scene said Frusetta was was not wearing any type of body armor when he was shot in the chest. He was not armed, Bowlan said Wednesday.
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.
