FRESNO, Calif. — Six people — including a 17-year-old mother and her 6-month-old baby — were killed by gunmen early Monday west of Visalia, the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office said.
Deputies said they believe two gunmen entered a home on Harvest Avenue near Road 68 in Goshen and began firing multiple rounds about 3:30 a.m., the office said.
The names and descriptions of all of the victims were not immediately available, Sheriff Mike Boudreaux said in a video provided by his office, but he confirmed the age of the mother and her baby.
“This whole situation is tragic, but we have a 17-year-old mother and a 6-month-old child both of which were shot in the head,” he said.
Two other people survived the massacre by hiding in the home, deputies said.
A 911 caller believed the shooting was from an active shooter because of the number of shots fired, Boudreaux said.
Victims were found outside in the street as well as inside the home. First responders attempted life-saving efforts on multiple victims that were unsuccessful, he said.
One victim who was still alive when deputies arrived died later Monday at an area hospital, the sheriff’s office said.
Detectives said Monday that the massacre was deliberate, and not a random attack.
“It appears this family was targeted and there are gang associations involved, as well as potential drug investigations,” the office said in an update. “A week ago, TCSO detectives conducted a narcotics search warrant at the victims’ home.”
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