Police: Fresno man arrested in fatal shooting of rival gang member

A Fresno man was arrested Thursday in connection with a December gang-related fatal shooting in central Fresno, police said.

Officers responded within minutes to 278 N. Calaveras St., just east of Blackstone and McKenzie avenues, on Dec. 4 and found an unconscious victim after receiving multiple calls about a shooting and a man lying on a sidewalk around 6:30 p.m., Lt. Burke Farrah said.

The victim, Enrique Falcon, 33, was taken to Community Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, Farrah said.

An investigation found Falcon, with other gang members, had gotten into an argument with rival gang members and a shooting ensued quickly, Farrah said.

Police identified Jesus Lepe, 39, identified in Fresno County Jail records as Jesse Manuel Lepe, a Highway City Bulldog gang member, as the suspect responsible for the slaying, Farrah said. His prior arrests include narcotics offenses, stolen property and homicide.

Officers from the Street Violence Section Tactical Team arrested Lepe in a parking lot at Shaw and Marty avenues around 3 p.m. Thursday, Farrah said.

Detectives found a loaded pistol belonging to Lepe after searching a residence on the 3100 block of North Prospect Avenue, Farrah said. Police believe the firearm is the murder weapon but are still continuing their analysis.

Lepe was booked into the Fresno County Jail on a charge of murder and weapons-related charges, according to jail records.

This story was originally published January 22, 2016 at 7:50 PM with the headline "Police: Fresno man arrested in fatal shooting of rival gang member."