TULARE COUNTY, CA. (THECOUNT.COM) — Authorities have identified Joseph Morales as the man arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of 19-year-old Marcus Mendoza over the weekend in Tulare County.
Mendoza was dropped off at Kaweah Health Medical Center in Visalia on Sunday after suffering a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.
The Tulare County Sheriff’s Office says 37-year-old Joseph Morales drove Mendoza to the hospital and has been named a person of interest in the shooting. Deputies believe the incident may have been accidental and that Mendoza and Morales were friends.
Investigators report Morales has not cooperated with authorities during the investigation and became combative when approached. Morales was arrested on multiple charges, including vandalism, assault on a law enforcement officer, and for allegedly being a felon in possession of a firearm, ammunition, and a controlled substance.
The shooting remains under investigation, and deputies have not released additional details regarding the circumstances leading up to the incident or the motive behind the shooting.
Anyone with information about the case is urged to contact the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office.
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