Fresno Leader

Detectives with the Violent Criminal Apprehension Team (ViCAT) have arrested five high school students and two adults in relation to a shooting investigation that began on August 21.

Four of the boys are students at McLane High School, and one boy is a student at Hoover High School. All have been booked into juvenile hall and are facing gun-related charges. Some face accessory charges.

Around 3:40 pm on Wednesday, August 21, dispatchers received a call of shots fired in the parking lot of an Auto Zone store at Clinton and Cedar in Fresno. Deputies arrived and found no gunshot victims.

They learned there was a disturbance between a large group of students who attend nearby McLane High School. A preliminary investigation revealed a 15-year-old boy used a handgun to pistol-whip a teenager, and a 16-year-old student pulled out a handgun and fired shots as people were leaving the scene. Some bullets struck a vehicle and a nearby restaurant. Fortunately, nobody was seriously hurt due to this incident; however, two customers in the restaurant were nearly hit.

Witnesses provided deputies with descriptions of those involved, including the gunmen. They were also aided by several videos recorded at the scene, which were later shared. About 30 minutes after the shooting, deputies arrested the 16-year-old gunman in a nearby neighborhood. He was identified from video footage as wearing all black and firing multiple rounds.

Due to the possibility of this being gang-related, MAGEC detectives assisted with the case. Ensuring safety at McLane High School and easing concerns among students, staff, and parents became top priorities for ViCAT, MAGEC, and the Fresno Police Department's School Resource Officer (SRO).

The next day, detectives identified a 15-year-old McLane student who took a gun from one of the suspects for hiding purposes. Detectives served a search warrant and arrested that teen but did not find the gun.

On August 23, detectives served another search warrant at an apartment where they located the now-16-year-old seen wearing a white tank top holding a gun in video footage. He was arrested for assault with a semi-automatic firearm.

Detectives continued their efforts to locate firearms and other individuals involved with those already arrested.

On September 10, detectives served search warrants at two homes in Fresno. At one location, they recovered two shotguns and two handguns not used in the parking lot shooting. They arrested Jim Vue (43) for being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition; Richie Vue (29) was also arrested for possession of cocaine. At another home, detectives recovered two handguns matching those used by teenagers in the parking lot incident. Days later, detectives contacted and arrested another 15-year-old McLane student responsible for hiding these handguns.

Finally, on September 16, detectives arrested a 14-year-old Hoover High student identified through social media photos holding firearms illegally.

It has been determined this was not gang-related but rather due to personal disputes. The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office and Fresno Police Department hope these arrests bring relief to high schools involved and to the entire community.

Anyone with information about illegal firearm possession or plans for violence should contact the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office at (559) 600-3111 or Valley Crime Stoppers at (559) 498-7867 or visit www.valleycrimestoppers.org You will remain anonymous and may be eligible for cash rewards.

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