Crime

Shots fired at crowded Fresno night club. Two hurt, officer nearly hit by fleeing car

Fresno Police are investigating an early morning shooting outside a crowded club Saturday where an officer escaped injury when jumping out of the way of a car fleeing the area.

Officers responded to a ShotSpotter audio gunfire detection alert at Shields and Maroa avenues around 1:15 a.m. As they arrived they saw the car leaving Club Encore.

The car stopped, and officers approached. But the driver drove toward an officer before taking off. The car reached Emerson and Marks avenues about 11 miles away before crashing. One of the occupants took off running but was apprehended without incident, according to police Lt. Zeb Price.

A second person in the car, which police said is likely stolen, also was taken into custody. It was unknown whether the driver or the passenger are linked to the shooting.

Two people showed up at a local hospital including a male victim with a gunshot wound to a limb. The second person, a woman, was injured when falling while attempting to flee the area when shots were fired.

Price said the investigation was ongoing. “It’s a club venue, so there were a lot of individuals there from various groups that were gathered and a disturbance broke out. Shots were fired. The original call was a fight, of multiple people fighting, that led to shots being fired.”

There is no information on a suspect in the shooting.

A vehicle sits after crashing into a center divder following a shooting at a nightclub in Fresno, California on Saturday, March 25, 2023. Two people were detained.
A vehicle sits after crashing into a center divder following a shooting at a nightclub in Fresno, California on Saturday, March 25, 2023. Two people were detained. ANTHONY GALAVIZ agalaviz@fresnobee.com

This story was originally published March 25, 2023 at 11:13 AM.

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Anthony Galaviz
The Fresno Bee
Anthony Galaviz writes about sports for The Fresno Bee. He covers the Las Vegas Raiders, high schools, boxing, MMA and junior colleges. He’s been with The Bee since 1997 and attended Fresno City College before graduating from Fresno State with a major in journalism and a minor in criminology. Support my work with a digital subscription
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