Once again, senseless violence kills a child. It will take all of Fresno to stop it
It was a shooting that shocked Fresno, a city where gun violence is all too common: A 9-year-old girl killed by an errant bullet that a gang member meant for a rival.
Janessa Ramirez died Jan. 18, 2015 after being struck outside a west Fresno laundromat. Her death rocked the community.
“There are very few homicides that occur that capture the heart of an entire community, and Janessa Ramirez was one of those,” Fresno police Chief Jerry Dyer said, recalling her death. “She became everyone’s daughter.”
That gang member, Brian Cooks, was later caught, tried and convicted of Janessa’s death. After her memorial service, Dyer shared a message with those gathered, his eyes red from tears: “We just need to do so much more in the police department, so much more in the community, the churches, the parents, the teachers, to make sure this doesn’t happen again. And if we can do that, then Janessa’s death was not in vain.”
Fast forward to last weekend: Nick Kauls, a Fresno teen, was shot simply because he ran away when a group held him up and demanded his stuff. Kauls, 17, died Thursday from the gunshot wound to the head he sustained Sunday night in Fig Garden as he ran from unknown suspects, according to the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office. The initial investigation shows he was at the wrong place at the wrong time, a sheriff’s official said.
Words fail to adequately describe the senselessness of such crimes. Beyond the obvious loss of Nick, a San Joaquin Memorial student whose young life was full of potential, this latest crime occurred in Fig Garden, an upper-income neighborhood where such violence is uncommon.
Then there is the desperation that must be present in the lives of the suspects who would act so brazenly. To have such little regard for life reveals their lack of self-worth.
Sheriff’s detectives will be working hard to capture those responsible for Nick’s death. How can you help? By sharing any tips about who the suspects might be. Anyone with information about the case, or who may have surveillance footage, is asked to call the sheriff’s office at 559-600-3111, Detective Adam Maldonado at 559-231-6944, or Detective Adrian Villegas at 559-600-8210. Tips can also be made anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 559-498-STOP and may be eligible for a cash reward, which was bumped to $3,000 Wednesday.
A GoFundMe account has been set up to help Nick’s family. Levi Sapp, a cousin of Nick’s, said “the family is so overwhelmed with the support of the community.” By Thursday afternoon, nearly $60,000 had been raised. Funeral services are being arranged.
Toward the ultimate goal of ending the violence, there are simple ways Fresno residents can make a difference, especially in the lives of young people:
▪ Donate to organizations that help kids who live in poor neighborhoods. The Boys and Girls Club of Fresno County is one example. There are over 20 clubs countywide that helped 6,500 children in 2016. Its mission statement: “To enable all young people, especially those who need us the most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.”
▪ Volunteer to help young people. One example is Saturday Sports, run through the Every Neighborhood Partnership. It is a two-hour recreation program held at local schools on Saturday mornings throughout the year. There are 32 active Saturday Sports now underway in Fresno. Volunteers simply play games with the kids who show up: basketball, soccer, baseball, jumping rope. The goal is to have fun and be a positive adult in children’s lives; many of them don’t have two parents in their homes.
Chief Dyer’s wish remains unfulfilled for now. That doesn’t mean Janessa and Nick’s deaths have to be nothing more than ugly moments in Fresno’s history. Now is the time to step out of our comfort zones and get involved to stop the violence.
This story was originally published June 29, 2018 at 12:05 PM.