Gunfire locks down Exeter

Gang violence erupted in an Exeter residential neighborhood Thursday, forcing the lockdown of all Exeter Public Schools system campuses for about an hour, officials said.

Exeter police officers answered a call of gunshots fired in the 400 block of Chestnut Street about 1:30 p.m. One group of individuals was "just shooting wildly at other people down the street," Exeter Police Chief Cliff Bush said. No injuries were reported in what police believe was a gang-related incident. The shooters reportedly went inside a home. Police later arrested two males — an adult and a teenager — and two teenage girls. Bush asked Exeter school officials to lock down the city's campuses while the investigation took place. The lockdown took effect about 2:10 p.m. and was lifted about 3 p.m., said Diane Graziani-Orton, deputy superintendent of the school district.
Exeter Union High School, two elementary schools, a middle school, a continuation high school and an alternative-education program were shut down, Graziani-Orton said. While the lockdown was in effect, students remained in their classrooms, gates to school grounds were locked and no one was allowed access to any of the campuses. The lockdown of all the schools was ordered as a precaution, Bush said. Chestnut Street is a major thoroughfare for students walking to and from Exeter High, both elementary schools and the middle school. The male suspects, Horacio Lopez, 18, of Exeter and a 16-year-old boy, were booked on suspicion of felony reckless discharge of firearms, Bush said. More charges may be filed against them, he said, including gang enhancements. The girls, ages 17 and 16, were arrested on suspicion of delaying officers in the course of their duty. They could face gang enhancements as well, police said.
Two firearms and discharged shell casings were found inside the house, Bush said. He declined to provide more details.

By Michael Miyamoto Staff writer
The reporter can be reached at mmiyamoto@visalia.gannett.com.