Police seek suspects in northwest Fresno sweep

Fresno police released photos this week of three men sought in connection with an operation targeting gang and violent crime in northwest Fresno.

The operation was launched this month in response to an increase of robberies and shootings in the area north of McKinley Avenue and west of Blackstone Avenue. Between Oct. 21 and Nov. 4, violent crime rose 84 percent in the area. During that period, there were 20 shootings in all of Fresno and 14 were in the northwest. Highlighting the increase was a Halloween night shooting in which 45 shots were fired in a neighborhood near East Vasser and North Glenn avenues, where one person was killed and another wounded. Police believe the gunfire was gang-related.

The men sought are Anthony Romero, 21, on charges of strong arm robbery; Richard Lee Brown, 50, on charges of strong arm robbery; and Howard Turner, 23, on a probation violation for assault with a deadly weapon.

Anyone with information about the three is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (559) 498-STOP.

This story was originally published November 17, 2015 at 11:09 AM with the headline "Police seek suspects in northwest Fresno sweep."