Shooting linked to gangs

A 20-year-old Porterville man was found slumped over in Ford Taurus on Friday, suffering from a single gunshot wound, in what police suspect was a gand-related shooting.

Porterville police discovered Xavier Taylor in the car at about 10 p.m., stopped at the corner of Olive Avenue and G Street. He was behind the wheel in the driverÂ’s seat.

There was evidence that a second gunshot victim had been in the front passenger seat of the Taurus, but that victim was gone by the time authorities arrived, according to a Porterville Police Department press release.

Taylor was first transported to Sierra View District Hospital and then later taken to Community Regional Medical Center, Fresno. Officials at the hospital would not comment on TalyorÂ’s condition on Monday night.

Friends of the second victim, Miguel Martinez, 18, reportedly took him to Sierra View District Hospital. Martinez was treated for a single gunshot wound. Officials at the hospital said, as of Monday night, Martinez was no longer at the hospital and refused to comment about his condition.

This incident, according to the Porterville police release, is being treated as a gang-related crime.

Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Jeff Dowling at 782-7411.