KERMAN - The Madera County and Fresno County Sheriff’s Offices continues to investigate a series of shootings on public roadways, which appear to be related. Between November 27th and December 17th, there have been 10 separate reports of vehicles being struck by gunfire. Eight occurred in Fresno County and two occurred in Madera County. Only one case resulted in a person suffering injuries. Detectives have not determined a motive for the shootings and are considering them to be random.
All of the shootings in Fresno County have happened in the same vicinity, on the outskirts of the city of Kerman. Most all occurred at the beginning and end of traditional commute hours. A common thread in all reports is the victims said they heard loud bangs as another vehicle passed them, going the opposite direction on the roadway. They later inspect their vehicles and find bullet holes in various places.
Numerous victims have described the suspect vehicle as a dark colored pickup truck with an extended cab or crew cab with a lifted body with oversized tires. Victims have told deputies this was the last vehicle they saw go past them at the time they heard the noise.
Valley Crime Stoppers is now offering a $7,000 cash reward to anyone with information about the person or persons responsible for these shootings.
The following is a list of reported shootings to date:
1) Around 6:45 am on November 27, 2017, a vehicle traveling on Madera Ave. (Hwy. 145) near Avenue 8 ½ was hit with bullets. This is in Madera County. No one in the vehicle was injured.
2) Around 9:30 pm on November 27, 2017, a vehicle traveling on W. California Ave. near S. Bryan Ave. was hit with bullets. This occurred in Fresno County. No one in the vehicle was injured.
3) Around 3:30 pm on December 1, 2017, a vehicle traveling on N. Dickenson Ave. near W. Shields Ave. was struck by bullets. This occurred in Fresno County. No one in the vehicle was injured.
4) Around 4:30 pm on December 1, 2017, a vehicle traveling on N. Dickenson Ave. near W. Shields Ave. was struck by bullets. The driver was also hit. The woman called law enforcement and was treated for her injuries, which were determined to be non-life threatening. This occurred in Fresno County.
5) Around 4:30 pm on December 4, 2017, a motorist driving on Madera Ave. (Hwy. 145) near W. Barstow Ave. had their vehicle struck by gunfire. This occurred in Fresno County. No one in the vehicle was injured.
6) Around 6:45 am on December 7, 2017, a vehicle traveling on Madera Ave. (Hwy. 145) near Avenue 6 was struck by gunfire. This is in Madera County. No one in the vehicle was injured.
7) Around 4:30 pm on December 11, 2017, a motorist driving on Whitesbridge Ave. near Howard Ave. had their vehicle struck by gunfire. This occurred in Fresno County. No one in the vehicle was injured.
8) Around 5:00 pm on December 11, 2017, a vehicle traveling in the area of Jensen Ave. and Rolinda Ave. was struck by bullets. This occurred in Fresno County. No one in the vehicle was injured.
9) Around 7:00 am on December 15th, 2017, a motorist drove past a vehicle on Dickenson, near Central Ave. The victim heard a loud noise, drove to their destination and found a bullet hole in their vehicle when they performed an inspection. This occurred in Fresno County. They were not injured.
10) Around 2:00 pm on December 17th, 2017, a vehicle traveling on Trinity Ave. near Shaw Ave. was struck by bullets. This occurred in Fresno County. No one in the vehicle was injured.
Deputies with the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, Madera County Sheriff’s Office and officers with the California Highway Patrol are working together to try and identify possible suspects and put a stop to these shootings. This case is considered a top priority and additional resources have been designated to the investigation.
All of the law enforcement agencies want to warn the public to be aware of these instances and the locations in which they occurred. If your vehicle is struck by an object, pull over and park in a safe place as soon as possible. Inspect your vehicle and if it appears to be damage from a bullet, dial 911 immediately and report as much information as possible to dispatchers. The faster the information is reported, the quicker patrol units can respond to the area and search for the shooter.
Anyone with additional information on any of the cases listed above, or even cases not listed, is asked to contact Madera County Sheriff’s Department at (559) 675-7770, Fresno County Sheriff Department at (559) 600-3111 or Crime Stoppers at (559) 498-7867. You will remain anonymous and may be eligible for a $3,000 cash reward.
