Man accused of killing 2 Fresno teens while shooting at group enters murder plea
The man charged in a fatal March shooting that left two 15-year-olds dead and a 14-year-old injured pleaded “not guilty” Wednesday in Fresno County Superior Court.
Lelan Lee, 25, was charged with seven counts, including two counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder, plus enhancements for using a gun for allegedly opening fire on four teens. A 17-year-old with the other teens was not struck by gunfire, according to police.
His attorney declined comment to The Bee on Wednesday.
The teens were headed to a friend’s home after visiting a nearby eatery about 1:30 a.m. March 23 near the intersection of San Jose Avenue and Fourth Street, south of Barstow Avenue, according to police.
Lee faces a life sentence without the possibility of parole, or could face the death penalty, if convicted on all counts. A decision on whether to pursue the death penalty had not been decided, according to Taylor Long, the spokesperson for the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office.
Lee has two previous felony convictions for robbery, one in 2022 and the other in 2019. Along with enhancements for using a gun and firing into a car, he faces enhancements for a second strike as defined by California’s Three Strikes Law.
It is unclear what triggered the shooting or if the victims knew Lee, police said at the time of the shooting.
This story was originally published May 27, 2026 at 5:46 PM with the headline "Man accused of killing 2 Fresno teens while shooting at group enters murder plea."
