[110] Downtown Fresno, California

We have an active shooter. We have an after shoots go ahead of me Quier with a mass casualty. Welcome to Active Shooter, a podcast that covers the wys, the hows, and the aftermath of active shooter and mass casualty events. They have an active shooter in a building at tecking calls as they are big attacks. We got John Squires four fifteen asl Brouge ninety one, so I'd like, oh, I'm at a fire. Active shooter. Courts of an active shooter, active shooter, active shooter of mass casualty incidents.

Thank you for listening. You are listening to Active Shooter, a podcast that may contain adult themes, explicit language, and graphic depictions of violence. Portions of this show may be traumatic for those under eighteen. Listener discretion is advised. More breaking news to tell you about tonight. Three people are now dead and the alleged gument in custody after shooting spree in Fresno, California, and

believes believe the violence might be racially motivated. They say that was wanted for the murder of a Moteil security guard and he went on the rampage after seeing he was a suspect while he allegedly shot and killed three white men, firing sixteen shots in under a minute. Now believes don't suspect terrorism, but they are looking at it as a possible hate crime. Fresno, California, which is the state's fifth most populated city, was still bustling and busy on the

cool, clear evening of Thursday, April thirteenth, twenty seventeen. Fresno is Spanish for ash in the sea. He seemingly obtained its name precisely for that reason the copious amounts of ash trees that lined the central valley. The city wasn't always as serene and peaceful as this sounds, however, and that was made evident on both the nighttime hours of April thirteenth and in the morning of

Tuesday, April eighteenth, twenty seventeen. The one hundred and ten or so intervening hours were filled with a terror that many residents had never experienced before. An active shooter suddenly and quite inexplicably opened fire and murdered four innocent people, leaving a city reeling with the trauma and fright of such an attack. A

targeted attack, a racially motivated attack. Today's case is dedicated to the lives and memories of the four shooting victims, Karl Williams, Zachary Randalls, Mark Gassett, and David Jackson. Active Shooter the podcast is a High five Holly production, and I'm your host JT. If you've listened to our prior episodes, you know that the Active Shooter podcast team has taken the no notoriety pledge and we will not be sharing the real name of the shooters that we cover.

We will be giving the shooters a pseudonym and refer to them by that name throughout the episode. This will help in clearing up any confusion in the story while remaining true to our pledge and not naming the shooter by their actual name. We will refer to today's shooter as Zaan. At eleven pm on Monday, April thirteenth, thirty nine year old Zain was carrying a concealed three point fifty seven Master Magnum revolver as he approached the Motel six in Central Fresno.

He was there visiting a friend whose mother had rented a room at the motel. Visitors are required to pay a six dollar fee at the front desk along with showing their identification. While the fee might feel a bit excessive, visitors, showing the front desk and ID is an excellent step towards insuring the security of the guests. On the other hand, it's also probably the one rule that is constantly broken, and most of us are likely guilty of having

done so. At some point, security guard Karl Williams, who was employed by the motel to insure the safety and security of guests, caught sight of Zayin, so he requested the assistance of a co worker, and together they went to the room Zayne entered with the woman. The guards politely informed the pair of the motel's policy, and they agreed to follow the guards back to the front desk so Zayin could show his identification and pay the requisite fee.

As the group was walking back, Carl and the woman began to argue it wasn't a screaming match, more of a disagreement, really. Zane quietly stepped back from them and withdrew his firearm. Without a moment's hesitation, he shot and killed Karl. Zaye continued firing, striking Carl six times in various places, including his arm, elbow, back and shoulder. I believe in that jurity Gar looked at argument with her, being a very dish type. Yeah, I shot him. He shot the security guard. Yes, the haircom

against the antlus. Twenty five year old Carl Williams was born on July twenty fifth, nineteen ninety one and was described by others as a class act. He was admired by others and was always laughing and smiling. He was much much too young to die, most especially in such a brutal and violent manner. Meanwhile, the woman whom Zain was visiting fled the scene and raced back

to her room. The other motel employee was able to escape unharmed. Zaine ran away from the motel too on foot and raced towards a local seven to eleven. There, he managed to scale the building and take cover on the roof of the convenience store. The police were dispatched to the motel, where they located the woman. Initially, she was found to have been trying to

remove evidence from the crime scene. The woman refused to answer questions or tell police who the shooter was, and as such, she was arrested on a felony accessory charge and taken into custody. As police continued to investigate the crime, interview witnesses, and try to determine who the shooter was, Zayane sat perched atop the seven eleven, where he patiently waited and watched until the early morning hours when police eventually left. After the police vacated the motel, Zaane

scrambled back down the side of the building. He took shelter inside of a dumpster that was located on the property of a nearby elementary school. Over the course of the next four or so days, Zaine walked from place to place, hiding out wherever he deemed it safe enough. He was able to chop

off his hair, effectively changing his appearance. On the morning of Saturday, April eighteenth, the Fresno Police Department announced that they had identified the shooter from the Motel six shooting on the thirteenth, and named Zayne as the suspect. Later that same morning, Zayane entered a Starbucks. It was cloudy and gray and a light, misty type of rain hung in the air. Inside of the coffee shop, Zayne was busy logging on to the Wi Fi, where

he proceeded to watch the news broadcast that named him the shooter. It was at this moment that Zayn made the chilling decision he already murdered one person, so why not a killing spree. Zayn made an active choice to become a mass murderer. Perhaps he'd always planned it and it was by design, but either way, he made a very firm choice at that moment, and he

didn't care if it made him a monster he already was one. Zayin said he wouldn't quote go down for one murder and that he planned to quote take out as many white men as possible. Within just a few hours of the press release that identified Zayin as the shooter, multiple shootings transpired in and around downtown Fresno. At ten forty five am, Zayne saw a Pacific Gas and

Electric utility vehicle on North Van Nest Boulevard. Approached the driver, who would later describe Zaine as having a quote cold, dark look, which unsettled the driver. As Zayne walked up to the driver's side of the truck, he passed the left rear fender before pausing and looking up into the truck. He reached into his jacket to draw the firearm, but as this was happening.

The truck driver saw Zayin reach into his jacket. The ominous look on Zayane's face, coupled with his suspicious movements, was all the driver needed to know that he may be in danger and needed to get out of there fast. He threw the truck into reverse and stepped on the gas. Zaye had retrieved the gun by now, so he aimed and shot, striking the passenger of the truck, Zachary Reynolds. Zachary told the driver that he was shot. He was hit on the right side, where the bullet entered and pierced his

lung and heart. Zaane fired again, striking the headrest of Zachary's seat. Miraculously, the driver wasn't hit. It would later come out that the reason the driver wasn't shot is because he appeared to be hispanic to Zayne, and Zane only wanted to kill white men. The men in the truck raced away, not knowing where the nearest hospital was located. The driver headed to Fresno Police Department headquarters. He was desperate to save his coworker, Zachary, who

was losing blood at an alarming rate. Zachary lost consciousness on the way to the police station. When the men arrived, an ambulance was called and rushed Zachary to Community Regional Medical Center, where eventually he passed away as a result of his severe injuries. Thirty four year old Zachary David Randalls was born and raised in Lamore, California. He graduated from Lamore High School in two thousand and one. He and his wife attended high school together, but began actually

dating while attending California State University Fresno. Zachary was an all around incredible guy. People were drawn to his humor, but it was his general trus an assiduous spirit that kept so many people in his life. He could often be found partaking in a game of cornhole on the beach, jamming out to his favorite artists, including food Fighters and Billy Joel. Food was another passion, and he particularly enjoyed a good steak or burger, sushi, Brussels sprouts,

and sweets like pecan pie and lemon bars. The science enthusiast was also interested in older cars visiting Hawaii, and he was deeply devoted as an LA Dodgers fan. Zachary leaves behind his love Katie and their two small children. Their loss is indeed immeasurable. After shooting Zachary, Zayn began to walk along Mildreda Avenue before heading west, where he came upon a man who was exiting his

residence. Zaane missed and the man was able to take cover. While Zaane reloaded his weapon in the alley between Van Nest Boulevard and Fulton Street, he briefly considered going back after the man he just shot at. He briefly considered going back after the man he just shot at, but discarded that idea assuming the man had taken shelter back inside his home. Zaine proceeded down North Fulton Street and again he raised the firearm and shot towards a car that carried a

woman, her adult daughter, and her young granddaughter. The petrified woman kept going and as soon as Zain realized they were Latino and women, he lowered the gun and didn't shoot again. He turned on his heel and walked in the opposite direction. When he encountered Mark Gassett outside of a Catholic Charity's USA building, Zaine shot Mark in the chest and the man immediately fell to the ground. Zaine shot him again two more times, striking the man in the

right lung and heart. Thirty seven year old Mark Gassett was born on June third, nineteen seventy nine. He graduated high school from Central High and was described as the guy who would give you the shirt off his back. He was giving, he was jovial, and he was kind, and he will be so dearly missed. Mark's mission each day was to make someone laugh, and he always did. He worked with the homeless and was the first to

give back to his community. No one ever saw Mark become angry. He was an even keeled, gentle soul that friends and family could count on. His passions were skateboarding, fishing, camping, and woodworking. The father of a nine and a fourteen year old, both boys, they were the light of his life. The gregarious man will be forever mourned, and a GoFundMe was established to help raise money for his family. Zane stopped and reloaded the

gun once again before shooting towards a group of three white men. Two of the men escaped physically unharmed. The idea of how to run for life from a madman with a gun is another level of trauma. That is inconceivable. The third man wasn't able to escape, he ran Zaane chased him into the parking lot of the Catholic Charity's USA building, and he fired off six rounds. Two bullets hit empty parked cars, one bullet hid a nearby building,

while another bullet went rogue and was never recovered. The remaining two shots. The remaining two shots both struck fifth I'm sorry. The remaining two shots both struck fifty eight year old David Martin Jackson. The blood loss and shock were the official causes of David's death. It is such an incomprehensible manner in which to die, bleeding out until your body goes into shock before completely shutting down. It's horrific. Unfortunately, despite much research, no information could be located

about David Jackson. May he rest in peace. It's likely that numerous individuals called nine one one after seeing a man walk up and down Fulton Street brandishing a firearm. They're getting reports of multiple gunshots incidences in the downtown area. To give more units, we had set another call in at six shots. Fires. Police responded to the scene only four minutes after the very first shots that morning. Nearby schools and government buildings were placed on lockdown while police approached

Zayne. For his part, Zayn screamed God is Great in Arabic three times as he was arrested and taken into custody. No gun was immediately located on his person, but police Chief Jerry Dyer later reported that the weapon was wrapped in clothing and an unknown mail arrived on the scene, retrieved the gun from Zayne, and then the unknown man bolted. The entire shooting on the eighteenth lasted only ninety seconds. In those ninety seconds, seventeen rounds were fired and

three men died. Zayne was arrested without incident, and when he was questioned, he confessed. He described in detail the shooting spree, and he laughed. It was a menacing, purely evil laugh, which shows just how depraved and soulless this individual is. Thirty nine year old Zayan was born on March twenty first, nineteen seventy eight. His grandmother reported that he was drawn to Islam at a very young age. However, he also attended a Baptist church.

He lived between both Sacramento and Fresno for the majority of his life, but he was homeless at the time of the shooting. Growing up, Zaine affiliated with gangs, though he was never actually a member of one. He took classes in multimedia at consumnz River College and Sacramento for a brief period,

and he also attended Sacramento City College and the American River College. All of its college studies were between the years of nineteen ninety six in two thousand four, Though specifically what type of degree he pursued isn't known, it was said that during those years Zane sporadically went to class, and when he did go,

he was known to accuse professors of being racist. Well known to local law enforcement wherever he lived, Zayn had an extensive criminal history, which included charges of false imprisonment, weapons charges, drugs, forgery, and even making terrorist threats. He was arrested twice as a teenager, and both times were for bringing a gun to school, which is, if not the first,

perhaps the most glaring red flag of what was to come. In two thousand and four, Zaye was again arrested for firing a weapon outside of his apartment. The arrest was in Washington State. It's very unclear how he was able to come into possession of the firearm. Despite his mental health diagnosis and felony record. It was another red flag and most certainly would have landed him on

a prohibited person's list had the case gone anywhere. Zaine left the state and the case was dismissed when the prosecutor in Washington declined to extrad item back to a federal prison. In two thousand and five, Zaine was indicted on federal charges of felon possessing a firearm, possessing a firearm for drug trafficking, and possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute. His defense attorney attempted to claim insanity,

citing Zaine's alleged paranoia, hallucinations, and psychosis. The judge eventually ruled itsz Zain wasn't competent to stand trial, and he was subsequently admitted to a mental health facility for around four months. The purpose was to restore Zain to competency, which was accomplished, and as a result, he ended up pleading guilty to two of the seven counts in August of two thousand and six. He was sentenced to nine years in prison, but the sentence was reduced in

two thousand and eight and he was released in twenty sixteen. Zain also claims to have murdered someone when he was twelve, but this has never been confirmed or proven. Court records indicate that he experienced quote auditory hallucinations and had at least two prior mental health hospitalizations. Zain was admitted to Sacramento Community Mental Health

from April eighth to thirteen of nineteen ninety eight. When he was twenty, he was diagnosed with psychosis, although only two weeks later he was admitted to CMH again, but in Fresno, this time. On April twenty seventh, nineteen ninety seve eight, Zaye was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. It seemed like everything was under control for a time, but about two years later he was admitted to the Fresno CMH again. As reported by several family members and Zaine

himself, he had a family history of mental health disorders. His mother attempted suicide at least once since she was reportedly an alcoholic who also suffered from depression. He only lived with her until the age of two, which is when he was sent to live with his father, who allegedly tried to kill Zane when he was both five and nine years old. Once was an attempted poisoning and the other time he tried to run Zaane over with his car. Further,

Zane's grandmother was reportedly diagnosed with schizophrenia as well. Zain underwent a psychological examination and it was reported that he possessed an IQ that was above average and in the bright normal range. Zaine never reported during this exam that he experienced hallucinations, though the examiner indicated that Zayne claimed to see fantastical images like lynchings dungeons, but he also reported that he could smell blood, which was described

in the report as quote olfactory hallucination. Zain eventually confessed to having auditory hallucinations multiple times a week. These included hearing women and children's voices calling out for help. Zain said that the hallucinations increased in frequency and had started to include images of black women and children in the dungeons screaming to get out. He said that meditating and chanting specific words like thunderstorms and heat waves to calm himself,

and he did this to help ease his visions. He also self reported a suicide by hanging attempt in two thousand and five. Zain's psychological report, which will be linked in the show notes, is in its entirety, and it indicated that Zain reported having a disturbed childhood. According to Zay's own claims, when he was three, he quote broke white dude's ankle when he struck it while riding a big wheel toy. Allegedly the man yelled at him.

The relevance of the story isn't clear, but it seems to be the starting point of Zaine's hatred for white men. The report further indicated Zaine recounting being in a gang in Sacramento when he was nine. He claimed to be the leader of the gang and they sold drugs, drank and hung out all night. Perhaps the wildest claim was that he shot an adult when he was only twelve, but as previously stated, this has never been corroborated with any sort

of evidence. Zain seemed to speak of these troubling experiences in a boastful manner, and he even laughed at times. It was the opinion of the examiner that Zain seemed to understand how to manipulate symptoms of his various mental illnesses to his advantage, depending on whom he was speaking to. The report concluded that

Zain was fit to stand trial in the murder of four innocent people. Zain was charged with four counts of murder, four counts of attempted murder, one count of shooting an occupied motor vehicle, and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. He was found guilty on all counts at trial. His insanity plea was dismissed and the death penalty was dropped after the trial.

As account four lead A jury and the above entitle action fine defendant the ok of first degree murder of David Jackson in violations of Section one eighty seven A of the Penal Code has charged in count four further lead a jury in the above entitle action find true the allegation in the commission of the above entitle offense the defendant Kory Ali Muhammad intentionally discharged a firearm, which is an interesting verdict. I think their jury did a really good job at looking at all the

issues. They were certainly conscientious in how they approached the case. Having the three seconds and one first was a little unsatisfying for me. I would have liked to convinced them that they were all second great murders based upon his mental health issues. But we'll see where we're at in the next phase. Zain was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Most chillingly, he reported in the psych interview quote, I would prefer death, row my own

cell and go into the yard. San Francisco is really nice. I'd more likely kill someone in prison, and I don't like scumbags. They are really shitty persons who deserve to die. And I don't think the country will last that long twenty five to thirty years. The only promise of life is death. We all have the unique ability to help prevent such a catastrophic event from happening if we keep our eyes and ears open and never hesitate to report when

something or someone just doesn't seem right. With the delicate balance of mental health reform, education, active shooter training, and common sense on laws, we may one day realize the dream, the dream that there will be no more active shootings. We pray that love prevails over Hay. Too many have died. We should say to ourselves, not one more. In the meantime, we urge our listeners to stay aware of your surroundings and keep in touch with

your loved ones. If you see something, say something, you never know how many lives you'll be saving. Thank you for listening to today's episode of Active Shooter the Podcast. Remember, if you see something, say something, there's no telling how many lives you may be saving. A big thank you to Darren Curtis, who composed some of the songs on our show. You can find him online at www dot Darren Curtis music dot com. Make sure to check us out on social media. You can find us on Facebook at

Active Shooter the Podcast and on Twitter at podcast Active. Thank you and be safe.