Homeowner Uses Shotgun To Detain Two Suspects As They Tried To Flee Police

FRESNO, CALIFORNIA — On Wednesday, Fresno police apprehended three suspects following a 10:30 a.m. report of handgun brandishing at Blackstone and McKinley Avenues. After broadcasting the suspects’ vehicle description, a patrol officer located the distinctive multicolored Mercedes and initiated pursuit, joined by additional units on Highway 41. The chase led to a neighborhood off Ashlan Avenue, where the driver halted, and the trio fled.

The suspects dispersed, vaulting fences and sprinting along the highway. During the manhunt, a homeowner informed the police he was detaining two suspects at gunpoint in his garage. Officers arrived and apprehended one suspect, while the other escaped but was soon caught in a backyard. The third suspect, found hiding nearby, resisted arrest, prompting police to deploy a K-9 unit. After paramedic treatment, he was also detained. Although an extended magazine was discovered in the car, no firearm was found.

The homeowner’s wife, requesting anonymity due to safety concerns, recounted receiving a neighbor’s alert about the suspects on their property. She watched her husband confront the intruders via a security camera, as he demanded they leave, citing the presence of their children. One suspect immediately surrendered, apologizing and pleading not to be shot. Her husband detained them until police arrived. The third suspect was discovered under a boat at a neighboring property.

Reflecting on the incident, she acknowledged the potential for disastrous outcomes but praised her husband’s actions to protect their family.