Man, 5-year-old shot in SW Fresno

Ernest Smith

FRESNO – Police are looking into a shooting that left a man and a minor injured and had nearby schools locked down Monday morning.

On Tuesday, authorities identified 43-year-old Ernest Smith as the person being sought in connection with the double shooting.

The shooting happened at around 8:30 a.m. near Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and California Avenue. Police blocked off the area while they searched for the suspect. They also locked down three nearby schools. Edison High School, Edison Computech and Martin Luther King Elementary School were locked down until around 10:30 a.m.

The shooting happened near an apartment complex. A 5-year-old boy was grazed by a bullet and a man described to be in his 20s was also hit. The boy’s injuries were not life-threatening, police said. The other victim had to undergo surgery at Community Medical Center. His current condition is unknown.

“We are waiting to hear back as to whether or not his wounds are considered life-threatening or not,” said Burke Farrah of the Fresno Police Department.

Officers do not believe the child was hit intentionally. The shooting appears to be the end result of an ongoing dispute between the shooter and the older victim, police said.

Farrah said that anytime there’s a shooting, there is “irresponsibility and no respect for the law and no respect for human life.”

Police are collecting evidence and taking witness statements at the scene. The suspected gunman has not been caught.