Fresno police arrested two men connected to a shooting that took place at University Inn across from Fresno State. An officer who also fired his weapon was put on administrative leave, according to Lt. Mark Hudson, which is protocol for situations like these.
34-year-old Jimmy Martinez and his cousin, Erik Martinez, 25 — allegedly were part of a group of men who opened fire at an officer at the Inn on Feb. 27. Hudson said the shooting appears to be gang-related.
The officer involved in the shooting is a 20-year veteran with the department, Hudson said. He arrived to the Inn around 10 p.m. to investigate reports of a suspicious person knocking on doors of the Inn.
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When the officer arrived, a “gun battle” between the group of men on the east side of the inn erupted. The officer began going toward the suspects, armed, Hudson said, as he exited the vehicle with his body camera on. Police are reviewing the footage.
At that time, Fresno State police said they contacted some campus building personnel and informed them of the shooting.
Those buildings include the dorms, University Student Union and the Henry Madden Library. A police car was also stationed in between the walkway of the Rec Center and Save Mart Center, which was feet away from the crime scene.
The university tweeted last Wednesday morning that the shooting did not affect the campus, stating that university police had set up a perimeter for safety.
During the incident, Hudson said, the officer witnessed a man getting shot and he then ordered everyone to drop their weapons. Two suspects immediately ran east and hid in nearby bushes and then reappeared and fired at the officer, according to a statement by police following the shooting. Police helicopters searching for the suspects circled the area after the shooting.
Hudson said the officer fired several bullets at the men as they fled to a nearby apartment complex. As additional officers arrived at the scene, the officer was found treating the wounded man.
That victim, a 33-year-old man, was taken to Community Regional Medical Center and underwent surgery for gunshot wounds to his upper torso and arm. As of last Wednesday, he was in stable condition. No other shooting victims were discovered at the scene.
Hudson said the injured man’s brother, Jimmy Martinez, was at the scene and was arrested on a charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Erik Martinez was arrested following the shooting on charges of resisting arrest and interfering in the investigation.
Two guns were found at the scene of the shooting and are being examined by police to see if they played a role in the shooting. Hudson said at least two other men who were involved in the shooting are still considered “at large.”
Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call police at 559-621-7000. Fresno State students who need a police escort from campus can call the university police at 559-278-8400.