A second body was found inside the burned home after police used drones to search the property.
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — A Santa Clara neighborhood remained unsettled Monday after police said a man was fatally shot outside a home and another body was found inside a burned house nearby.
The violence unfolded Friday afternoon on the 600 block of Enright Avenue, a residential street west of Scott Boulevard. Police say the case appears to be a targeted attack, but they have not released the victims’ names, the suspected motive or whether anyone has been taken into custody. Officials said there is no continuing threat to the public.
The first calls came around 12:30 p.m., when residents reported gunfire near Enright and Serra avenues. Officers arrived and found a man shot outside a residence. He died at the scene. Soon after, flames broke out at a nearby home. Police searched the area while firefighters fought the blaze, and residents watched armed officers move through yards and streets. Neighbor Terry Coe said the response came suddenly, with officers in front of homes and weapons drawn.
By Friday evening, officers used drones to inspect the burned structure and saw a body near the back of the home. The damaged residence remained unsafe for hours because of structural problems and fire hazards. Around 11 a.m. Saturday, fire officials cleared investigators to enter. Authorities then reached the body and continued gathering evidence. Police have not said whether the body found in the house is connected to the shooting victim or to the person who fired the shots.
Residents said the shooting victim was well known on the block and often seen with his family. One neighbor described the family as friendly and familiar to people who lived nearby. Another said the man’s daughter had sold Girl Scout cookies in the neighborhood. The comments added to the grief on a street where residents said gun violence was deeply unusual. Police have not confirmed the family details shared by neighbors.
The burned home has become a major focus of the investigation. Neighbors said they believed it was being used as a short-term rental and had drawn attention because of people and vehicles coming and going. One resident said the activity made some neighbors uneasy before Friday’s violence. Police have not confirmed that account, and investigators have not said whether the property’s use played any role in the shooting or fire.
Investigators are also working to determine the sequence of events. Reports from neighbors and emergency communications placed the gunfire first, followed by the house fire minutes later. Some surveillance video reportedly showed two men near a driveway before one opened fire. Police have not released that video or publicly described all evidence collected at the scene.
The Santa Clara Police Department said detectives are using all available resources. The Santa Clara Fire Department, Santa Clara County Crime Lab and Santa Clara County Arson Task Force are assisting. As of Monday, police had not announced the identities of the dead, the cause of the fire or the next formal update.
Author note: Last updated May 11, 2026.