FRESNO, Calif. – A man found dead in Fresno’s Roeding Park has been identified as 44-year-old Solomone Toki from the Bay Area, according to the Fresno Police Department.
Workers discovered Toki unconscious inside the park around 1 p.m. on Thursday and called for emergency help. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) arrived first and then notified the police.
Officers reported that Toki had a gunshot wound to his left thigh, which led to his death. They also found an illegal firearm in his backpack. Fresno Police Lt. Paul Cervantes confirmed that Toki was not legally allowed to have the weapon.
“He has a long criminal record, including robbery, carjacking, and multiple weapons violations,” said Lt. Cervantes. “He was on post-release community supervision for firearm possession.”
Police noted that all of Toki’s prior crimes happened in the Bay Area, specifically in Vallejo, California, and that he had no prior contact with law enforcement in Fresno.
Investigators believe Toki’s fatal gunshot wound was self-inflicted but accidental. It remains unclear why he was in the Fresno area.