MAGEC Investigation Leads to Arrest of Three McLane High School Students
August 25, 2024 – Fresno County Sheriff’s Office officials report that Detectives with the Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium (MAGEC) have arrested three boys who are students at McLane High School in Fresno. All have been booked into juvenile hall and each are facing gun related charges.
Around 3:40 p.m. on Wednesday, August 21st, dispatchers received a call of shots fired near an Auto Zone store at Clinton and Cedar in Fresno. Deputies arrived and found there to be no gunshot victims.
They learned there was a disturbance between a large group of students who attend nearby McLane High School. A preliminary investigation revealed a 15-year-old boy used a handgun to pistol whip a teenager and a 16-year-old student pulled out a handgun and fired shots as people were leaving the scene. Some of these bullets struck a vehicle and a nearby restaurant. Fortunately, nobody was injured due to this careless behavior.
Witnesses further helped deputies by giving them descriptions of the people involved, including the gunman. They were also aided by several videos recorded at the scene, which were later shared. About 30 minutes after the shooting, deputies arrested the 16-year-old gunman in a nearby neighborhood.
Due to this being considered a gang-related shooting, MAGEC detectives took over the case. Ensuring safety at McLane High School and easing the nerves of students, staff and parents there became a top priority of MAGEC, the Violent Criminal Apprehension Team (ViCAT) and the Fresno Police Department, including its School Resource Officer (SRO). They would work tirelessly together over the next 60 hours to protect the campus, along with identifying and capturing anyone else who was responsible for Wednesday’s violent incident.
MAGEC ultimately arrested the 15-year-old boy who pistol whipped another person and also arrested another 15-year-old boy who helped both gunmen dispose of their firearms. Those guns have still not been recovered.
The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office and Fresno Police Department hope these arrests bring a sense of relief to the McLane High School community as it heads into its next week of session.
Although arrests have been made, if anyone believes they have additional information on this case, please contact the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office at (559) 600-3111 or Valley Crime Stoppers at (559) 498-7867, www.valleycrimestoppers.org. You will remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward. Reference case# 24-9575.
Source & photo: Fresno County Sheriff’s Office
