Fresno County man accused of fatally shooting grandmother, dad’s girlfriend on Christmas
REEDLEY, Calif. — A 23-year-old man is accused of fatally shooting his grandmother and his father’s girlfriend and firing shots at his father on Christmas as the family gathered to exchange gifts in California’s San Joaquin Valley.
Austin Alvarez was arrested Saturday on suspicion of murder and attempted murder. He remains in the Fresno County jail on $2.5 million bail. It was not immediately clear whether he had a lawyer who could speak on his behalf.
Detectives have not yet determined the motive for the shootings. Authorities say Alvarez arrived at a family member’s home in Reedley in Central California and began firing a gun.
In a news release, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office said Alvarez shot and killed his 58-year-old grandmother, Magdalena Alvarez, and his father’s girlfriend, 39-year-old Meisa Rashid, around 1:45 p.m.
The shooter fled the home and fired shots at Alvarez’s father, who was in a parked vehicle outside, but did not strike him, the sheriff’s office said.
Authorities found Alvarez about 10 miles away and took him into custody.
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