A 50-year-old man was shot in the shoulder on the 1400 block of Dairy Avenue in Corcoran on Saturday morning, after the city's annual Cotton Festival parade was scheduled to begin. Police arrested 41-year-old Christopher Ramirez, a Corcoran resident, on suspicion of attempted murder and assault with a firearm in connection with the shooting.
Corcoran police officers were dispatched to the scene a bit after 10 a.m. Saturday and arrived within two minutes, according to KMPH. The victim had suffered a gunshot wound to the left shoulder and was taken to a nearby hospital, where his injuries were described as non-life-threatening.
Detectives identified Ramirez as a suspect and obtained an arrest warrant, the station reported. He was later arrested without incident and booked into Kings County Jail on suspicion of attempted murder and assault with a firearm. Public reporting has not revealed a motive, the status of the weapon, or whether Ramirez and the victim knew each other.
A Parade Route That Ends Near the Crime Scene
Corcoran's Cotton Festival parade was scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. along a route ending on Dairy Avenue, according to a California events calendar listing for the annual celebration. Police were dispatched to the scene a bit after 10 a.m. Saturday.
Dairy Avenue was also the endpoint of the Cotton Festival parade route.
Dairy Avenue's Troubled Recent History
Forty-year-old Jason Pico was shot inside his vehicle in the 1000 block of Dairy Avenue before crashing into a building. Years earlier, on October 24, 2020, 35-year-old Rudy Mendez was killed in the 200 block of Dairy Avenue, according to Crime Solvers Central. The two incidents took place on Dairy Avenue.
What Ramirez Could Be Facing
Under California Penal Code Sections 664 and 187, a conviction for second-degree attempted murder carries a state prison sentence of 5, 7, or 9 years, while a first-degree attempted murder conviction involving premeditation can bring life imprisonment with the possibility of parole, per the Justia California Penal Code database.
Corcoran
Corcoran is a Central Valley city.
No additional details about a motive, the recovery of a firearm, or the relationship, if any, between Ramirez and the victim have been made public. The case remains under investigation by Corcoran police.
