22-year-old killed in shooting outside Visalia bar, police say

A person was killed early Sunday morning in a shooting outside a Visalia bar.

The victim has been identified as 22-year-old Angel Rudy Salazar.

The violence unfolded around 1:30 am outside the Downtown Rookies Sports Bar and Grill on Main Street.

"This is kind of a random act," Visalia Council Member Steve Nelson said. He viewed surveillance footage of the shooting.

"It's an unfortunate situation. It was a young man," Nelson added.

He says the video shows four people passing the victim on Main Street before the situation took a deadly turn.

"All of a sudden, two of them turn around and go back to where the young man was," Nelson said. "Then, all of a sudden, you see people scattered, and the young man's lying on the cement."

Police say Salazar died from gunshot wounds at the scene. Family members described the 22-year-old as a kind and caring father to two young sons, who also leaves behind a girlfriend.

His mom told Action News that her son loved vintage cars and had a detailing business. He also worked on the High-Speed Rail.

She says Salazar was celebrating with friends Sunday morning when his life ended in what she calls a "heinous crime."

"I don't think it was a gang situation," Nelson said. "We're still trying to decipher that - if there's any connectivity, but I don't think there was."

Police say they are still investigating what led up to the gunfire and looking for the shooter.

Nelson says there was a crowd outside when the shooting happened, but detectives say several witnesses left before officers arrived.

Investigators are asking anybody with information to come forward.

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