Update: Shooting at River Park steak house was a ‘targeted hit,’ Fresno police chief says
A shooting at River Park on Monday night was a “targeted hit” and a rare event, Fresno Police Chief Paco Balderrama said Tuesday.
The chief gave an update on the previous night’s violence that occurred around 10 p.m. on El Paso and Blackstone avenues near Ruth’s Chris Steak House.
The shooter and the victim knew each other and the shooter arrived at Ruth’s Chris Steak House to confront the victim, Balderrama said.
“This was not an isolated incident. This was a targeted hit,” he said.
The shooter exchanged words with the the victim, a man in his mid-20s, as they exited the restaurant, police said Monday. A fight ensued, and the victim attempted to flee, according to police.
He was found in the roadway next to the steakhouse with multiple gunshot wounds, Balderrama said. He would not say where the man was struck.
The victim was taken to Community Regional Medical Center, where he was listed in stable condition, police said. Balderrama said he is expected to live.
The shooter left in a silver sedan, police said.
Balderrama said the violence was not an isolated incident or random occurrence, saying it is safe to go to River Park or other shopping centers in Fresno.
Violence in Fresno
An unrelated shooting at Bowlero last month left a teen — 18-year-old Devin Johnson — dead.
Balderrama said those two incidents, as well as shootings last year at Fashion Fair Mall, are rare and should not keep people from feeling safe in the city’s shopping centers.
“When a shooting like this happens at a very high-profile location, especially a restaurant — and obviously we had the Bowlero shooting a few weeks ago — that brings fear into the public,” he said. “I want the public to know we are doing everything that we can — using overtime, using the few bodies that we have — to have a strong officer presence out there.”
Noting last year’s violence statistics were high, Balderrama said they are down in the early part of 2022.
There have been 76 shootings so far this year compared to 108 at the same time last year, according to numbers from police. Last year saw 14 homicides to date, which was twice the number seen so far this year.
“But, last year wasn’t a good year. So we are making progress,” Balderrama said. “I’m confident we’re headed in the right direction.”
This story was originally published March 1, 2022 at 12:22 PM.
