One victim in Friday night shooting dies

Porterville police on Tuesday continued to investigate a weekend shooting that left one man dead.

Two men were shot during the incident, which police believe is gang-related.

Police were called out to Olive Avenue and G Street at about 10:25 p.m. Friday, where they found a Ford Taurus stopped in the intersection, according to a new release.

When officers approached the vehicle, they found Xavier Taylor, 19, of Porterville, in the driverÂ’s seat, the victim of a single gunshot wound.

Sgt. Duanne Griffin said police also found evidence at the scene that indicated a second person had been shot.

The second victim, later identified as Miguel Martinez, 18, of Porterville, had been seated in the front passenger seat of the Taurus but had since fled the area, Griffin said.

It was later learned that Martinez was taken by friends to Sierra View District Hospital, treated for a single gunshot wound and was released.

Taylor was transported to Sierra View District Hospital and was later transferred to Community Regional Medical Center, Fresno, Griffin said.

At about 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Taylor died as a result of injuries suffered in the shooting.

Griffin said he did not have information available Tuesday about the location of the gunshot wounds suffered by Taylor and Martinez, what caliber gun was used or if any suspects had been identified.

Tulare County SheriffÂ’s Department Sgt. Chris Galvez Douglass said, as of Tuesday, an autopsy had not been performed on Taylor. Therefore, an official cause of death could not be obtained by The Recorder.

The Recorder was also not able to obtain information on MartinezÂ’s current medical condition.

The death of Taylor is the cityÂ’s sixth suspected homicide of 2007.

The body of Clenon Ian Williams, 21, was found by passers-by on Aug. 2 in Porter Slough near the intersection of F Street and Oak Avenue. Then, on Aug. 27, Juan Manuel Castellanos-Alvarado, 35, of Porterville, was gunned down during an afternoon shooting witnessed by dozens of people in front of Sunshine Market on South Main Street.

Samuel Hart, 38, of Porterville, is suspected of stabbing Ruben Martinez, 23, of Porterville, to death on Sept. 6 while the two men were allegedly fighting. Hart is awaiting criminal proceedings in connection with the case.

Finally, a man suspected of killing a young couple Sept. 16 outside of Sunrise Handy Mart remains at large.

Armando Ramon Ojedo, 31, of Porterville, is suspected of shooting Ignacio Ayala, 20, and Margarita Alexandra Ortiz, 19. Both died, representing the cityÂ’s fourth and fifth homicides of the year and rounding out a month that saw three suspected homicides.

Police are asking anyone with information on this weekendÂ’s shooting to contact Detective Jeff Dowling at 782-7411.