FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — Moments after ringing in the new year, revelers lined the sidewalk outside Bobby Salazar’s Taqueria in Fresno’s Tower District.
“Whatever happened outside of here had nothing to do with us,” said Daron Dabritz, the manager of Bobby Salazar’s in Fresno’s Tower District.
According to Fresno Police, just before 1 am Thursday, officers responded to the restaurant on East Olive for calls of a physical disturbance.
Multiple callers reported a stabbing. When police arrived, they found two victims. One had stab wounds to his left shoulder and hip. The second suffered from two lacerations to his torso.
Fresno Police reported “the preliminary investigation has led officers to believe that the fight started inside the restaurant and then spilled out onto the sidewalk.”
“They could have said it happened across the street. It didn’t happen here; it happened down the street. We’re a destination spot. We’re the anchor of Tower,” said Dabritz.
“Bobby’s is just in the center of right of it all, so even if there’s a fight happening down the street somewhere else, you can see the Bobby’s logo. I don’t think this should affect him as much,” said David Cortina, the General Manager of Splash Fresno.
According to the police report, a witness and her boyfriend, who police later learned was one of the stabbing victims, were inside Salazar’s, preparing to leave. On their way out, the victim accidentally bumped into another person. That is when an argument started.
Fresno Police reported “the male party in the other half of the disturbance punched the victim, while they were still inside Bobby Salazar’s, and a physical disturbance ensued.”
“We never had anybody that broke up a fight that were fighting at each other,” said Dabritz. “We weren’t even aware of anything going on until we saw flashing lights because it happened down the walkway from us.”
Salazar’s employees told officers the business is not equipped with security video.
The incident comes just months after owner Bobby Salazar was indicted along with two others on several felony counts.
The indictment states Salazar paid the pair to torch one of his restaurants in central Fresno and that Salazar later collected over $900,000 in insurance money.
Salazar claims he is innocent.
Fresno Police reported the two victims were uncooperative and that the investigation remains ongoing.
Splash Fresno decided to shut down its bar following the police activity on New Year’s Eve as a safety measure.
For news and weather updates, follow Christina Lopez on Facebook, X and Instagram.
Copyright © 2026 KFSN-TV. All Rights Reserved.
