FRESNO, Calif. — Authorities have identified the man who was fatally shot in northwest Fresno on Saturday night as 23-year-old Banwari Godara, a San Jose native who had recently been living in Fresno. Detectives with the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the incident, which also left another man injured.
According to law enforcement officials, the shooting occurred around 8 p.m. on October 18. Fresno Police officers were first dispatched to a shopping center near Shaw and Brawley Avenues after receiving reports of gunfire. When officers arrived, they found two men suffering from gunshot wounds outside an urgent care facility. Both victims were taken to Community Regional Medical Center, where Godara was later pronounced dead. The second victim, a 21-year-old man, was treated for his injuries and released.
As officers began piecing together what happened, investigators learned that the shooting did not take place at the shopping center. Instead, the gunfire erupted at a truck repair yard along the 5400 block of South Cedar Avenue, located in an unincorporated area of Fresno County. Police transferred the case to the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, which has jurisdiction over the area.
Deputies responded to the truck yard and found evidence confirming that a shooting had occurred there. According to investigators, Godara and the second victim were driven away from the scene by another person following the gunfire and stopped at the urgent care center, where emergency crews were called. Detectives have not disclosed details regarding what led up to the shooting or identified any suspects.
The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office Homicide Unit is continuing to investigate the case. No arrests have been made, and authorities are urging anyone with information about the incident to come forward. Investigators are working to determine the motive behind the shooting and whether the victims knew the suspect or suspects involved.
As the investigation continues, family and friends of Banwari Godara are mourning the loss of a young man whose life was cut short by violence. Law enforcement officials are asking anyone with information to contact the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office or to leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers at (559) 498-7867.