Shooting, later fire at Modesto residence related, authorities say

A fire at a residence in the 800 block of Empire Avenue on Wednesday morning displaced five adults and was related to a shooting at the same address earlier in the morning, police and fire officials said.

Just before the 2:30 a.m. shooting, a resident inside the home saw something burning in the front yard, according to Modesto police Officer Billy Boyle. The resident went outside and encountered two Latino men, one of whom was holding what appeared to be a towel that was on fire.

The resident yelled at the men and they both ran, but one of them fired at the house as he fled, hitting it several times, Boyle said.

A woman in her 50s was asleep inside the house when she was struck in the shoulder by one of the bullets. She was taken to a hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening.

Less than two hours later, more 911 calls came from the Empire Avenue home; the residents said the house was on fire.

One of the residents woke up to the smell of gasoline, after which the curtains of an open window caught fire, Boyle said.

Modesto Fire Department and Stanislaus Consolidated Fire Protection District crews were dispatched to the blaze. They contained it to one room, and the damage to the structure and contents was estimated at $20,000. No injuries were reported.

The two men who fled after the shooting left in a late 1990s model white two-door car, Boyle said.

Modesto Police Department detectives are following up on leads in the investigation. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Detective Darren Ruskamp at (209) 572-9631 or call Crime Stoppers at (209) 521-4636. Callers to Crime Stoppers can remain anonymous and are eligible for a cash reward. Tipsters can text information to Crime Stoppers at 274637; type “TIP704” along with the message.

This story was originally published July 8, 2015 at 7:37 AM with the headline "Shooting, later fire at Modesto residence related, authorities say."