Update: One dead, another injured in shooting near northeast Modesto elementary school
Modesto Police are investigating a fatal shooting that took place near Coleman Brown Elementary School Friday afternoon.
Officers responded to multiple reports of shots fired in the area of the park next to the school on Celeste Drive at about 1:40 p.m., said Sgt. Kalani Souza.
When officers arrived they found a man inside a vehicle that was in the front yard of a house on the southeast side of Celeste and Presidio Avenue. The victim had been shot at least once, according to a press release issued Friday evening.
The man was taken to an area hospital and pronounced dead. Souza did not have any identifying information about the victim. Police later identified him only as a Black man.
Souza said no suspect information was available either.
About 10 minutes after the the victim was found in the car, another person who had been shot showed up at an area hospital. Authorities said Friday evening “this subject is related to the Coleman Brown Park shooting, however the involvement is still being investigated at this time.”
Red crime scene tape cordoned off two areas near the park Friday afternoon; one at the north end of the park and one across from it on the south end where a vehicle crashed. A gray sedan could be seen in the front yard of a home on the south side of Celeste; a fire hydrant that had been sheared off lay nearby. Authorities said though the car hit the house, nobody inside was injured.
Souza said evidence of a shooting was found in both scenes.
Coleman Brown Elementary School had just let out prior to the shooting but it was temporarily put on lockdown to protect any remaining students. Officers worked with staff to ensure the safe release of students and staff still on campus, police said.
Investigators ask anyone with information on the incident to contact Detective Joshua Lawrence at 209-572-9642.
This story was originally published November 13, 2020 at 3:13 PM.
