Friend wants justice for Fresno shooting victims

(19 Nov 2019) Police searched Monday for two assailants who sneaked into a backyard party in Fresno and opened fire on a small crowd that had gathered to watch football on television. Four people were killed and six wounded. The house where a group of Hmong family and friends got together was deliberately targeted on Sunday evening, but the shooters fired at random once they saw men in the yard, police said. "It's very devastating, very. We don't know what to say to people, but we hope that the legal system will find justice," said Paula Yang, a friend of the family where the shooting occurred. Yang and others were on hand Monday helping clean the area where the shooting occured. Fresno Police Chief Andrew Hall said there was no immediate word on a motive, and so far there was no indication that any of the victims knew their attackers, though most could not see them. They described seeing only flashes when the semiautomatic pistols were fired. Officers went door-to-door looking for surveillance video that might help them track down suspects. The chief said the shooting scene was graphic and that officers are making the case a priority. California has the nation’s highest population of Hmong, a Southeast Asian ethnic minority, and Fresno has the second-highest population in the United States. The Fresno County coroner’s office identified the dead as Xy Lee, 23; Phia Vang, 31; Kou Xiong, 38; and Kalaxang Thao, 40, all of Fresno. Three were found dead when emergency crews arrived. A fourth person died at a hospital. Three remained hospitalized Monday in serious condition, Community Regional Medical Center said in a statement. Pao Yang, CEO of the Fresno Center, a Hmong community group, said two of the victims were well-known Hmong performers, including a man who sang for mental health clients monthly. He said community elders have reached out to the center for help in the wake of the violence. Hall said police were investigating whether the shooting was connected to a recent disturbance involving some of the people at the party. He also announced the establishment of an Asian gang task force ahead of the Hmong New Year, out of concern about the possibility of more violence or retaliation. Some residents complained of other shootings in the neighborhood recently. The home where the attack took place is near an industrial area with commercial buildings near the Fresno airport. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...