Man dies in Atwater shooting, city’s fourth homicide of 2020

Atwater police are investigating after a man was shot to death early Wednesday morning, the city’s fourth homicide of the year.

Details are preliminary.

At 3:49 a.m. police responded to the 2400 block of Atwater Boulevard, not far from Applegate Road, after receiving information about a man down in the area.

The victim was found lying in the street. Officers and emergency personnel tried to save the man’s life, he was declared dead at the scene, according to a news release.

Officers located evidence of several shots being fired by a small caliber handgun. One of those rounds struck the victim in the face.

His identity is being withheld pending investigation and notification of next of kin. An autopsy is pending.

Officers are in the early stages of the investigation and are asking the public’s assistance in providing surveillance video in the area at the time of the shooting.

This story was originally published December 30, 2020 at 12:14 PM.