Fresno Doubles Down on Tower District Policing After Yet Another Shooting — Residents Question Whether More Cops Will Actually Work
One week after Mayor Jerry Dyer announced a package of safety measures for the Tower District — including added police presence, new streetlights, and a minor curfew — gunfire erupted again. At least 10 rounds were fired early Sunday morning outside a business on Fulton Avenue near Dennett Avenue, where a rap video was being filmed at an Airbnb.
No injuries were reported. Fresno Police Department stated that individuals denied entry to the filming location left and opened fire, with what appeared to be an exchange of gunfire.
The incident marks the fifth Tower District shooting this year. The city’s response follows an October 17 weekend nightclub shooting outside MIA Nightclub that injured two people and led to the arrest of a 16-year-old.
At a three-hour community meeting on October 23, over 500 residents packed the Tower Theatre to grill Dyer and city officials on whether increased police presence — already exponentially higher in the Tower than other neighborhoods — is producing results.
When Dyer announced even more officers would patrol weekend nights, the crowd booed. Deputy Chief Joe Alvarez acknowledged the criticism: “I’m not here to defend. What I am here to say is, I’m willing to listen.”
He committed officers assigned to the Tower would receive refreshers on best practices and invited residents to collaborate with law enforcement.
Several residents pushed back on the policing-first approach. “Policing is not the answer,” said Alicia Rodriguez, an artist with Labyrinth Art Collective.
Kristina Holmes-McIntyre and others said they often see officers staying in their cars rather than walking around and de-escalating fights. One bouncer suggested the city focus on training security guards in de-escalation instead — a proposal Alvarez said he was open to.
Dyer made at least one policy change on the fly after community feedback. The city had proposed banning parking on Olive Avenue starting at 6 p.m.; after hearing complaints from business owners, Dyer moved the start time to 10 p.m. instead.
The city also plans to enforce curfew on minors more proactively, though Alvarez’s statement that police would approach minors only with “reasonable doubt” drew jeers and accusations the proposal resembled “stop and frisk.”
Other measures — brighter streetlights, additional street sweeping, mobile light stations with mounted security cameras — drew mixed reactions. Several residents questioned whether the city would share surveillance footage with Flock or similar entities.
Diana Oliva, founder of Casita Feliz, urged the city to address blighted buildings and use them for community resources instead of focusing solely on enforcement.
Brandon Freeman, a local musician, warned the city’s plans risk overcorrecting: “We are at risk of losing our cultural identity here if these plans aren’t implemented correctly.”
One commenter reminded officials of the difficulty in creating a “surveillance and police state” in a neighborhood “proudly claimed by those rejected by much of society — the hippies, punks, and queers.”
Lewis Everk, owner of MIA Nightclub, attended with dozens of employees and defended his establishment from what he called an unfair portrayal. “You can’t blame a business for what geographically happens around it,” Everk said.
He stated he had brought public safety concerns to local law enforcement and government officials before, but his calls went unanswered. He added that the state’s Alcoholic Beverage Control department had visited MIA in recent weeks.
Most changes were implemented by Thursday night, October 24. One proposal — forcing all sidewalk vendors to sell on an empty lot at Van Ness and Olive — required City Council approval at a special meeting scheduled for 2 p.m. on October 24.
Dyer committed to a follow-up community meeting, though no date was set.
The Breakdown
- Fresno already spends exponentially more on Tower District policing than other neighborhoods, yet the area has seen five shootings this year.
- Mayor Dyer’s October 21 safety package included: adding more police officers on weekend nights, enforcing minor curfew more proactively, restricting nightclub patios open late, adding streetlights and mobile light stations with security cameras, street sweeping, and banning parking on Olive Avenue (initially 6 p.m., adjusted to 10 p.m. after community feedback).
- At the October 23 town hall, residents questioned whether more policing would address the root causes of violence, with some pointing to blighted buildings, lack of youth investment, and ineffective security training as larger issues.
- Deputy Chief Alvarez acknowledged law enforcement criticism and committed to refreshers on best practices, inviting residents to collaborate.
- One proposal — relocating all sidewalk vendors to a single lot — required City Council approval at a special meeting on October 24.
What This Means for You
Fresno already spends disproportionately on Tower policing. The town hall format itself — residents booing, officials adjusting policy on the fly — shows public pressure can move City Hall, but only when residents show up and hold officials accountable in real time.
Dyer changed the parking-ban start time because business owners spoke up. Other proposals — the surveillance cameras, the minor curfew enforcement, the vendor relocation — will play out based on how closely residents watch what actually happens versus what was promised.
What You Can Do
Mayor Dyer committed to a follow-up community meeting, though no date was set. Watch for the announcement and attend to hold the city accountable for whether the measures reduced violence or simply displaced it.
What to Watch
Several residents asked whether surveillance footage would be shared with Flock or similar third-party platforms. The sources do not indicate the city answered this question before implementing the cameras.
