It has been an exceptional year for Fresno in the worst way possible.
“We have 32 murders this year. Last year at this time we had 22, so ten more murders this year with nearly half the year left,” said Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer.
Dyer is very aware of Fresno's increased murder rate.
He says in a normal year, Fresno has 45 murders.
Last year that was down to 35.
We're just three short of that now at 32 and it's only July.
“We know we have to put an end to violence in our community,” Dyer said.
Dyer says most of the shootings and murders this year are the work of gang members.
State prison realignment is taking up beds in the local jail.
And jail overcrowding means gang members don't stay locked up.
“We're going be in a constant gang operation for the summer months so we're not going to back down. We're going to continue to deploy every resource that we have out into these neighborhoods,” said Dyer.
Police have not said much about the murder early Tuesday. But the victim - 35 year old Billy Burrell - was a validated gang member according to police. He was wearing blue latex gloves when he was killed.
“As I saw that way I did notice those gloves on him and I think that was a little strange,” said Francisco Villanueva, who lives in the area.
Latex gloves are a common tool for burglars so they don't leave fingerprints.
Police have not released a motive, however, in the latest killing.
