2019 Fresno shooting

{{Infobox event

| date = November 17, 2019

| partof = mass shootings in the United States

| location = Fresno, California

| type = Mass shooting

| motive = Unknown

| perpetrator =

| fatalities = 4

| injuries = 6

| map = {{Location map|California#USA

|float = center

|alt = Location of the shooting in California.

|lat_deg = 36.7857

|lon_deg = -119.9349

|label = Fresno

}}

| time = 6:00 p.m. PST (0200 UTC)

| suspects = 7

}}

On November 17, 2019, a mass shooting occurred at a Fresno, California football watch party with 35 to 40 attendees where four people were fatally shot and six others were injured.{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/18/us/fresno-mass-shooting-football-party/index.html|title=At least 10 people were shot and 4 of them were killed at a football watch party in Fresno|last1=Silverman|first1=Hollie|date=November 17, 2019|work=CNN|accessdate=November 17, 2019}}{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/nov/18/fresno-california-shooting-fatalities-reported-after-people-shot-at-backyard-party|title=Fresno shooting: four dead after attack at backyard party |date=November 17, 2019|work=The Guardian|accessdate=November 17, 2019|agency=Associated Press}}

Incident

The shooting happened in a backyard of a home when a group of friends and families were holding a football watch party, to watch the game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Chicago Bears. The party was composed of about 35 to 40 friends and family members of the home owner in attendance.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/crime-courts/nine-shot-multiple-killed-family-gathering-fresno-california-n1084706|title=4 killed, 6 others shot at family gathering in Fresno, California|last1=Johnson|first1=Alex|last2=Chirbas|first2=Kurt|date=November 18, 2019|website=NBC News|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191118100505/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/crime-courts/nine-shot-multiple-killed-family-gathering-fresno-california-n1084706 |archive-date=November 18, 2019 |access-date=2019-11-19|last3=Madani|first3=Doha}} At some point during the party the women and children attending the party had moved inside to watch TV, while 16 men stayed outside to continue watching the football game.{{Cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/11/18/fresno-california-sunday-night-football-shooting/4226932002/|title=Fresno police look into gang connection after shooting at football party leaves 4 dead, 6 wounded|last=Ortiz|first=James Ward, Sheyanne N. Romero, John Bacon and Jorge L.|website=USA TODAY|language=en-US|access-date=2019-11-19}} At least two suspects snuck through an unlocked gate of the home around 6:00 pm PST and opened fire indiscriminately before they fled on foot.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/fresno-mass-shooting-4-killed-6-wounded-in-shooting-at-backyard-football-viewing-party-in-california/|title=Deadly shooting at Fresno football party appears to have been "targeted act of violence," police say|last1=Dakss|first1=Brian|last2=Sundby|first2=Alex|date=November 18, 2019|website=www.cbsnews.com|language=en-US|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191118215458/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/fresno-mass-shooting-4-killed-6-wounded-in-shooting-at-backyard-football-viewing-party-in-california/ |archive-date=November 18, 2019 |access-date=2019-11-19}}

Victims

The deceased victims were all men between the ages of 23 and 40 years old. Three men were pronounced dead at the scene while another was transported to Community Regional Medical Center where he died of his injuries. Two of the deceased were well-known Southeast Asian singers.{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/11/18/shooting-backyard-party-injures-least-nine-kills-multiple-people-fresno-california/|title=Shooting at Fresno, Calif., backyard party kills four and wounds six in targeted attack, police say|last1=Hawkins|first1=Derek|last2=Shepherd|first2=Katie|date=November 18, 2019|newspaper=Washington Post|language=en|access-date=2019-11-19|last3=Mettler|first3=Katie}}

Five others were treated with non-life-threatening wounds at the same hospital while another was treated at a different hospital. The surviving victims are men between the ages of 28 and 36. All of the victims are members of the Hmong community in Fresno.{{cite news|url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/crime/article/Fresno-mass-shooting-Gunmen-opened-fire-on-Hmong-14844223.php|title=Fresno mass shooting: Gunmen opened fire on Hmong family party as they watched football|last1=Cassidy|first1=Megan|date=November 18, 2019|work=San Francisco Chronicle|accessdate=November 18, 2019|last2=Cabanatuan|first2=Michael}}{{cite news |last1=Levin |first1=Sam |title='Why did you kill my son?': mass shooting leaves Fresno's Hmong community shattered |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/nov/24/fresno-shooting-hmong-community |accessdate=November 24, 2019 |work=The Guardian |date=November 24, 2019}} The Fresno area is home to the largest Hmong population in California and the second-largest in the United States. Their community expressed sadness and bewilderment.

Investigation

The Fresno Police Department is investigating the incident, with assistance from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Clovis Police Department.{{cite web|url=https://abc30.com/another-suspect-in-nov-mass-shooting-now-booked-in-fresno-co-jail/5801939/|title=Another suspect in November mass shooting now booked in Fresno Co. Jail.|date=2 February 2020}} Fresno Police Deputy Chief Michael Reed said the victims were "likely targeted". The department mobilized an "Asian Gang Task Force" to look into concerns about the attack being connected to a recent spike in violent crime by Asian gangs.[https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2019/11/18/fresno-mass-shooting-10-shot-4-dead/ Fresno Shooting: 4 Dead, 6 Injured In Mass Shooting During Fresno Backyard Gathering] KPIX, November 18, 2019

On December 31, six suspects were arrested in connection with the shooting, all of whom were believed to have been members of the Mongolian Boys Society gang. One of the victims was a former member of the rival gang Asian Crips. The shooting was allegedly retaliation for the murder of a Mongolian Boys Society member by a member of the Asian Crips.{{Cite web|url=https://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/story/news/2019/12/31/police-make-arrests-fresno-mass-shooting/2783380001/|title=6 suspected gang members arrested in shooting in Fresno backyard that killed 4|author=Sheyanne N Romero and James Ward|website=USA TODAY|date=December 31, 2019}} The suspects were detained at the Fresno County Jail and faced four counts of homicide, 12 counts of attempted homicide, and conspiracy to commit murder with gang and firearms enhancements.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jan/02/fresno-mass-shooting-police-arrest-six-suspects-in-deadly-november-attack|title=Fresno mass shooting: police arrest six suspects in deadly November attack.|last=Levin|first=Sam|website=The Guardian|date=January 3, 2020|accessdate=April 4, 2020}} In February 2020, a seventh suspect was arrested and charged with the same offenses.{{cite web|url=https://abc30.com/another-suspect-in-nov-mass-shooting-now-booked-in-fresno-co-jail/5801939/|title=Another suspect in November mass shooting now booked in Fresno Co. Jail.|last=Rose|first=Sontaya|website=KFSN-TV|date=February 2, 2020|accessdate=April 4, 2020}} In January 2022, the prosecution announced it plans to pursue the death penalty against three of the suspects.{{Cite web|url=https://abc30.com/fresno-mass-shooting-football-party-gang/11495309/|title=DA to pursue death penalty against 3 accused of 2019 Fresno mass shooting|date=January 21, 2022|website=ABC30 Fresno}} On June 16th, 2024, one of the suspects, Porge Kue, was found unresponsive in the county jail, and he was taken to a Fresno hospital, where he died on June 20th.{{cite news|url=https://abc30.com/post/porge-kue-suspect-2019-deadly-fresno-football-party/15046371/|title=Porge Kue, suspect in 2019 deadly Fresno football party shooting, dies while waiting for trial|work=KFSN-TV|date=July 10, 2024|accessdate=October 27, 2024}} It is believed that he was not killed by a fellow inmate, and it is suspected that he died of a drug overdose, but the investigation is still ongoing and no cause if death has been confirmed.{{Cite news |title="Man accused in mass killing at Fresno football watch party has died while awaiting trial" |url=https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/crime/article289884949.html}}