Neighborhood ice cream man shot in Modesto; suspect sought

A neighborhood ice cream man was shot multiple times in his truck by a suspected robber on Monday afternoon in central Modesto.

The shooting was reported at about 3:40 p.m. on Cecil Way near Tully Road, about a half-mile north of Modesto Junior College.

The victim, an adult male, apparently was shot at least three times in the mid- to lower part of his body. He was alert and talking with emergency workers before he was taken by ambulance to a local hospital.

The suspect, described as a black male with a thin build, tried to rob the driver before shooting him, according to Heather Graves, spokeswoman for the Modesto Police Department.

He then fled in a silver sports utility vehicle.

Witnesses said he was wearing a red shirt and wore something to hide his face.

Police stopped a vehicle about 30 minutes later a few blocks south of the shooting. They held a man there but later determined he was not involved and released him.

Daniel Reader, who lives in a nearby apartment, said he had his window open and heard the gunfire.

“I heard the music from the ice cream truck and then the shots,” he said. “Then, the truck stayed in place because the music wasn't moving. It wasn't going anywhere.”

Carlos Prado, who lives nearby, said he heard the music, then “boom, boom, boom” and, seconds later, the screeching sounds of the back tires as the vehicle sped off.

This story was originally published April 25, 2016 at 4:09 PM with the headline "Neighborhood ice cream man shot in Modesto; suspect sought."