Fresno Police Identify Man Fatally Shot Outside Downtown Brewery District Party

Fresno Police Chief Mindy Casto confirmed Monday afternoon that Meharie Kidane, 38, was the man shot and killed outside a downtown party late Friday night, three days after the violence erupted near the intersection of Fulton and Inyo streets in the Brewery District.

The shooting unfolded around 11 p.m. on March 20 at a ticketed event held at Sun Stereo Warehouse, according to the Fresno Bee. Chief Casto said the party was advertised on social media and sold approximately 600 tickets, while Fresno police estimated roughly 300 people were attending when a fight broke out inside the venue.

Event security responded to the fight by clearing the building and pushing the crowd into the street. Shots were fired once people spilled outside. Kidane was transported to a hospital, where he later died.

The timing compounded the challenge for law enforcement: the shooting occurred just hours before the annual FresYes Fest, for which police had already staged heightened patrols in the area. Chief Casto addressed both the extra presence and the broader stakes in a statement Monday.

"We had a number of extra units down there, my daughter was there, you know, as a testament that downtown Fresno is still a safe place to be, but violence can break out in a number of places, and tragically, we saw that way too much this weekend," Casto said.

No arrests have been made. Fresno police are still searching for the shooter and investigating what led to the confrontation inside the venue. No suspect description has been released.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Carr at 559-621-2445 or Detective Baroni at 559-621-2516. Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Valley Crime Stoppers at 559-498-7867.