At least six people are dead following a violent altercation in Goshen early Monday morning.
The shooters remain on the loose.
The incident was reported around 3:30 a.m., and was initially believed to be a shooting in progress because of the amount of gunfire heard echoing through the typically quiet neighborhood.
When deputies arrived, they found two victims and a third near the doorway of the Goshen home. One victim was still alive when deputies arrived, and was rushed to the hospital after CPR was performed. However, he later died.
The victims include a 17-year-old mother and a six-month-old infant, both of whom were shot in the head. A description of the other four victims wasn’t provided by deputies.
“At this point, there are six total victims,” said Ashley Ritchie, spokeswoman for the department. “There are victims inside and outside the home.”
There were also several survivors of the “massacre,” that were escorted from the crime scene, Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux said.
“The whole situation is tragic,” he said.
Deputies say there are at least two shooters, and it wasn’t a “random act of violence.”
“It appears this family was targeted and there are gang associations involved, as well as potential drug investigations,” Ritchie said. “A week ago, [detectives] conducted a narcotics search warrant at the victims’ home.
No arrests have been made; however, Boudreaux did say that detectives have information they hope will lead to arrests. Search warrants have been served and deputies are scouring the home for clues and looking to neighbors for video of the killers.
Portions of Kame Drive and Harvest Road (Road 68) in Goshen are closed and will likely be closed for hours.
Visalia Unified School District Superintendent Kirk Shrum released a statement following the deadly incident.
The victims’ names haven’t been released and it’s unknown if the teenage girl killed attended Visalia Unified schools; Goshen schools are part of the district. “Each of us will react to tragedy in our own way,” Shrum stated. “Some of us may need space and time to ourselves, while others may have questions and want to talk through their feelings.”
Members of the school staff and the district’s crisis response team are available to talk with students. If your child is in need of emotional support, parents and guardians can call the school office. “We are saddened by this horrific event and the impact it has had on our community; know that your students’ safety and social emotional well-being are our main priority,” Shrum added.
Anyone with information regarding this case is encouraged to contact the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office at (559) 733-6218 or they can remain anonymous by calling or texting (559) 725-4194 or through email at tcso@tipnow.com
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