Valley Veteran, 100, victim of possible assault

SANGER, Calif. (KFSN) -- A 100 year old Sanger man is in serious condition and police are trying to determine if his injuries are due to an assault in his own home. Joe Fisher has been hospitalized since Monday, suffering from broken ribs, a punctured lung, and multiple cuts and bruises.

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Fisher lives in a senior community in Sanger. Fisher told his sister he let a man into his apartment Monday afternoon and they talked for about an hour before he was attacked, but police are having a hard time finding evidence of a crime.

Fisher is a member of the Sanger Eagles and attends weekly meetings for conversation and fellowship. Friend Eli Cruz said Fisher is a military veteran who is well liked by his fellow Eagles. "He's always excited, cheery, smiling, kind of guy. When he's ready to go out the door, he claps, he starts doing a dance, ready to go. He's a very spirited gentleman, very independent," said Cruz.

Police are trying to figure out if Fisher's injuries were caused by a fall or if the senior was the victim of an assault. A neighbor told investigators she heard two thuds, prompting her to go next door and check on Fisher. She said she looked through his screened front door and asked Fisher if he was okay and heard another male voice answer. Doctors have indicated he could be a crime victim. "He said that there were certain injuries that Mr. Fisher had, that were not conducive to a falling. That leads us to believe there was possibly someone else in the apartment at the time," said Sanger Police Chief Thomas Klose.

Police said no one saw a suspect entering or leaving the apartment and they found no evidence of a struggle or robbery. While their investigation continues, Fisher's friends are hoping for the best and are trying to make sense of what's happened. "I can't understand why someone would want to do that to an elderly individual," said Cruz.

Police say Fisher has given conflicting statements about what happened Monday, possibly because of dementia. The case is still under investigation and police are hoping witnesses will come forward so they can determine just what happened.

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fresno county, sanger, crimetracker, local, amanda perez

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