News

MADERA - The Madera Police Department in conjunction with the California Highway Patrol will be conducting a DUI/Drivers License checkpoint on Saturday, September 2nd, 2017, in the City of Madera.  In an effort to reduce the number of persons killed and injured in alcohol involved crashes, DUI checkpoints are conducted to identify offenders and get them off the street, as well as educate the public on the dangers of impaired driving.

All too often, members of our community are senselessly injured or killed on local roadways by impaired drivers. This DUI/Drivers License checkpoint is an effort to reduce those tragedies, as well as insuring drivers have a valid driver’s license.  A major component of these checkpoints is to increase awareness of the dangers of impaired driving and to encourage sober designated drivers.

FRESNO - Southeast District Officers Keosoy Saechao and Chadwick Chang from the Fresno Police Department where conducting proactive patrol in the area of Cedar Avenue and Hedges Avenue. This was due to the uptick in the recent violent crime that has been taking place in the city.

A traffic stop was made for an equipment violation on a vehicle where 18 year old Ricky Rodriguez from Fresno was the passenger. During the stop the driver allowed officers to conduct a search of the vehicle, where a loaded 9mm Glock 19 semi auto handgun was recovered. Rodriguez is an associate of the “RTL” Ruthless Thug Life Gang which is a sub set to the East Side Fresno Bulldog Gang.

SQUAW VALLEY - Detectives with the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office have arrested 31 year old Buford King of Squaw Valley. He has been booked into the Fresno County Jail and is facing felony charges of assault with a firearm, possession of explosives and making destructive devices without a permit. His bail is set at $65,000.

On Sunday, August 20th, Fresno County Sheriff’s Office dispatchers received a report of a man who had been shot in the foot. Deputies met with the victim at a local hospital and learned that Buford King was responsible for the shooting that took place in the area of Squaw Valley Road and Sand Creek Road. The two men know each other. The victim was in the area doing construction work at the time he was shot. The motive for the shooting is unknown at this time.

VERONA, VA -- Nexus Services, Inc. is offering bail assistance to anyone joining the anti-racism demonstrations against neo-Nazis, neo-Confederates, and racists that seek to divide Americans rather than unite the United States. The company will secure the bond and cover bail at no cost to anti-racism demonstrators. A local hotline number has been set up for both Berkeley and San Francisco and a toll-free hotline that covers the entire United States.

“So long as white supremacists, neo-Nazis, and neo-Confederates continue to flock to our nation's cities in the name of hate and violence, Nexus Services will stand alongside those who exercise their rights to demonstrate against hate and racism," Mike Donovan, civil rights activist and president and CEO of Nexus Services, Inc. said Friday afternoon about the bail-assistance program offered by his company.

FRESNO - On Saturday, August 29, 2015, at approximately 1:30a.m., Fresno Police Department dispatch received a 911 call of multiple shooting victims in the area of Shaw Avenue and Valentine Avenue in Northwest Fresno.  Officers arrive and contact brothers Deandre Howard 1/7/94 and Dontay Howard 6/6/99 suffering from gunshot wounds.

Both brothers were transported to the hospital where Deandre Howard succumbed to his injuries. Both brothers were not gang members and not involved in any criminal activity at the time of the shooting.  Deandre Howard was a standout student/athlete at Edison High School and recently honored with a monument near the baseball field.  At the time of his death, Deandre Howard was continuing his education and baseball career at Fresno City College. 

FRESNO - On Saturday, August 5, 2017 the Fresno Police Department dispatch received a Shot-Spotter notification at Stereo & DJ Outlet/Mari’s Jewelry store on the 4000 block of East Kings Canyon. Fresno PD dispatch then received a call of a shooting victim at the same location.  Officer’s arrived at the business and found the male adult victim had sustained gunshot wounds. Officer’s and EMS personnel provided first aid/CPR to the victim, who was then transported to CRMC. The victim, Christopher Leon (22) succumbed to his injuries shortly after he arrived at the hospital. 

Homicide Investigators obtained information about the shooting. Suspects entered the business and looked at jewelry. The suspects attempted to run out of the business with the jewelry and were confronted by the stores employees. During the robbery, the business employees and suspects were involved in a physical confrontation outside the store. One of the suspects produced a firearm and shot the victim during the incident. The suspects fled the area in a vehicle.