Shooting Spills onto Campus Amid Calls for More Training

Edward Smith

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Photo by: Keaundrey Clark

A vehicle with a bullet hole on its right side stands on campus after being caught in the crossfire between two other vehicles near Fresno City College on Jan. 12, 2016.

A shooting at the Carl’s Jr. on Blackstone and McKinley Avenues on Jan. 12 quickly became the focus for many students on social media.

The gun violence erupted just one day after spring semester classes had resumed at Fresno City College. It involved two cars with passengers shooting at each other and a third car caught in the crossfire.

A total of 16 bullets at the scene according to the State Center Community College police department.

After the Rampage published a video of first responders on campus surrounding the vehicle that came under fire, a female by the Facebook name Souleia-jenny Sorn claimed she was one of two people inside the vehicle that was hit by bullets.

“I’m not a student there,” Sorn said. “I pulled up because they were still shooting around the area.”

Sorn posted that her vehicle had been mistaken as involved in the shootout.

“It [bullet] bounced off my sweater, and fell and burned my back,” Sorn said, adding that she was not hurt.

Acts of violence across the nation have spurred the discussion of what to do in the event of on campus shootings.

Before the Jan. 12 shooting, the SCCCD police department held Active Shooter Awareness Seminars.

Interim Police Chief, Lt. Richard Gaines, reported a “good turnout” of classified staff, faculty, and administrators at FCC, Reedley College, Madera Center, and Clovis Community.

Campus police are currently “trying to schedule additional training sessions to include students.”

Gaines encourages students to attend in order to increase awareness and “get some type of training.”

Gaines said students and staff should report all suspicious behavior to the campus police.