Strathmore shooter not facing charges

Sgt. Chris Douglass, public information officer for the Tulare County Sheriff’s Department, said no charges are pending against the woman who fired the fatal shots in Tuesday night’s shooting in Strathmore.

After two men, one armed with a gun, attempted to rob a home on Avenue 194 in Strathmore, a woman in the home got into a gun battle with them, fatally shooting one of the men. A second man fled on foot and is still at large. The sheriff’s office has not identified the suspect.

The two men were apparently attempting to rob the home because they knew there was marijuana in the house. Detectives later found more than 400 pounds of marijuana in the home, more than $23,000 in cash and arrested a man at the home, Candelario Andrade Moran, 32, for possession of marijuana for sale, possession of an assault weapon and child endangerment.

Douglass said the woman is considered a victim and said the TCSD would not be releasing her identity.

The incident began about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday when two masked men forced their way into the home looking for cash and marijuana.

The woman in the home was able to arm herself and gunshots were exchanged between the suspects and the victim outside the residence. The two robbers’ vehicle was left behind in the driveway of the home.

The name of the man fatally shot has not been released. He reportedly suffered a gunshot to the head.

Street value of the marijuana found in the home was estimated in excess of $1.6 million dollars.