Hanford murder suspect, 19, wounded in shooting near Lemoore

HANFORD, Calif. (KFSN) — It’s been a week since Cruz Avalos, 23, was shot and killed in his car at 10th Avenue and Lacey Boulevard in Hanford.

Police have identified 19-year-old Roman Perdue as a suspect in this fatal drive-by.

Now, the Kings County Sheriff’s Office confirms that Purdue was also the victim of a shooting hours later at the Santa Rosa Rancheria.

Whoever pulled the trigger in this case is still at large.

Authorities say Perdue was driving when he was shot multiple times.

He was punched on the cheek, as seen in his picture.

A 16-year-old boy and a minor girl were in the car with him.

“The female and the juvenile did run from the scene after the shooting and we were able to catch them and take them into custody. The female was later released to family and the juvenile was taken into custody and turned over to Hanford police,” he explained. Chris Martin of the Kings County Sheriff’s Office.

Detectives initially believed the 16-year-old had killed Avalos, but a few days later announced he was no longer a suspect.

However, he still faces gun possession charges because of the weapon found during his arrest.

The sheriff’s office is working to determine if the two shootings are related, acknowledging that the violence has affected several families.

“You can’t replace people, so right now you have a bunch of people taking lives left and right with no real consequences,” Martin said.

In light of all the recent developments, prosecutors have asked for a continuance of charges against Purdue.

Kings County District Attorney Sarah Hacker says drive-by shootings are always difficult to investigate.

“It’s very difficult, very difficult, and we want to make sure we do it right,” Hacker expressed.

Action News is still waiting to hear back from the district attorney’s office to find out when charges may be filed.

The sheriff’s office continues to appeal to anyone with information.

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