Man found shot near shopping center in Visalia, police say

VISALIA, Calif. (KFSN) -- A man has been hospitalized after he was found shot near a busy shopping center in Visalia on Tuesday.

The shooting happened around 1 pm in a parking lot near WinCo Foods on Caldwell Avenue and Chinowth Street.

Visalia police say a 64-year-old man was taken to a local hospital, where his condition is currently unknown.

Within a couple of hours of the shooting, little to no evidence remained at the scene but regular shoppers were left wondering why someone would want to hurt him.

"It really hurts me that somebody would care little of him to shoot him because he didn't bring harm to anybody," said Pamela Sugden.

Sugden says she visits the shopping center routinely and often stops to offer help to the man.

Eddie Godsey says anytime he's able, he brings blankets food, or water.

He's hopeful a suspect will be caught soon.

"It's just so wrong for people to do that. So, I feel for him and I hope that they get whoever did it," said Godsey.

Adrianne Hillman founded the local non-profit Salt + Light, which helps people at risk of or experiencing homelessness.

She says unhoused people are much more likely to be victimized.

"Our neighbors experiencing homelessness are people who are the most vulnerable to assaults, attacks, any kinds of violence because of their housing status," said Hillman.

"Because they don't have shelter. Because they don't have the ability to protect themselves under a roof or sometimes a car."

Hillman says she's familiar with the man and that her non-profit has fed him on several occasions.

She says he had a unique ability to build a community around him by staying in one place.

Those who know him are ready to welcome him back.

"I'll be glad to see him out here again and know that he's well," said Sugden.

Hillman hopes when he does heal that this might be an opportunity to connect him with resources.

"Maybe this is the opportunity for us to get him into some case management and to some services that maybe it's possible for us as a community to get him housed," said Hillman.

Police are still working to determine the motive for the shooting.

Anyone with information about this shooting is asked to call the Visalia Police Department at (559) 734-8117.

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