Share
A man convicted of killing four white men in 2017 in a race-related rampage in Fresno was sentenced Friday to life in prison without the possibility of parole, prosecutors said.
He was convicted by a Fresno County jury in April of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, attempted murder and other crimes, the Fresno County district attorney’s office said.
He withdrew a previous plea of not guilty by reason of insanity, and prosecutors said they wouldn’t seek the death penalty.
Rampage Occurred in April 2017
Muhammad, a black man whose defense said he was mentally ill, was accused of a series of shooting attacks on white men in April 2017.
In a recorded confession to investigators that was played at his trial, Muhammad said he shot Motel 6 security guard Carl Williams III and tried to kill another guard on April 13 because he felt he had been disrespected when he went to visit a friend.
A security camera recording showed Muhammad coming up behind Williams, 25, and shooting him.
Muhammad: ‘Fed up With Racism”
“It starts taking its toll on you, and you get fed up with the racism,” Muhammad said. “You get tired of letting things slide.”
While on the run after the shooting, Muhammad learned that he was wanted for Williams’ killing. On the recording, Muhammad said that if he was “going down for murder” the best thing was to “kill as many white men” as he could.
On April 18, 2017, Muhammad drove through downtown shooting at white men, he said. He surrendered to police after, at one point, firing nearly 20 shots in less than a minute, authorities said.
PG&E Worker Killed in His Truck
Zachary Randalls, 34, was shot in a Pacific Gas & Electric truck.
“When I walked up to the truck, I saw a Mexican driver and a white guy,” Muhammad said. “I didn’t want to target the driver because he was Mexican so I shot the white dude.”
He also was convicted of killing Mark Gassett, 37, and David Jackson, 58, and trying to shoot three other men.
Muhammad was convicted of first-degree murder for Jackson’s slaying; second-degree murder for Williams, Randalls and Gassett; four counts of attempted murder; one count of shooting at an occupied vehicle; and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
RELATED TOPICS:
US Vice President Vance Says Iran Is Now Incapable of Building a Nuclear Weapon
20 minutes ago
Kings County SWAT Arrests Los Angeles Homicide Suspect After Standoff
51 minutes ago
Trump Organization Pays off Loan on 40 Wall Street in New York
57 minutes ago
Trump Says Iran and Israel Agree to a Ceasefire
1 hour ago
‘Regime Change’ Is Only Solution in Iran, Shah’s Son Says
1 hour ago
New York Plans New Advanced Nuclear Power Plant Upstate, Governor Says
2 hours ago
Madera County Authorities Arrest Man for Impersonating a US Marshal
2 hours ago
Trump Says Iran Gave US Notice Before Attack on Qatar Military Base
2 hours ago
US Supreme Court Lifts Limits on Deporting Migrants to Countries Not Their Own
2 hours ago
US Crude Oil Futures Fall Over $3 as Trump Announces Israel-Iran Ceasefire
12 minutes ago
Categories

US Crude Oil Futures Fall Over $3 as Trump Announces Israel-Iran Ceasefire

Fresno County Detectives Seek Man for Interview in 2020 Homicide Case

US Vice President Vance Says Iran Is Now Incapable of Building a Nuclear Weapon

Kings County SWAT Arrests Los Angeles Homicide Suspect After Standoff

Trump Organization Pays off Loan on 40 Wall Street in New York

Trump Says Iran and Israel Agree to a Ceasefire
