FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - A man is in critical condition after being shot by a relative of his girlfriend Saturday morning, the Fresno County Sheriff's Office announced. Deputies say around 9:25 a.m. they received a call from a woman who said her boyfriend was beating her up at a home near Fowler Avenue just south of Clarkson Avenue outside of Selma. Investigators report as they responded, the victim contacted her relative who showed up with a friend and intervened. As a result of the confrontation, detectives say the relative shot the boyfriend who was being violent. The boyfriend then made his way up the road where he collapsed in front of Wildflower Market. Deputies say an employee called and reported a victim of a gunshot wound. The suspect was airlifted to a local hospital where he remains in critical, but stable condition. Investigators say the relative and his friend were detained as they conduct their investigation. The Sheriff's Office adds that Fresno County has some of the worst rates of domestic violence in the state. They urge anyone experiencing domestic violence to reach out for help as soon as possible. "Problems like this where you get beat up one day— you could be fighting for your life the next and nobody needs to be subjected to that. So we really encourage both women and men that if you're in a situation where domestic violence can spiral out of control, stop it at the onset, get the help that you need so that you could be safe," said Tony Botti with the Fresno County Sheriff-Coroners Office. It is important to note that victims of domestic violence are never at fault for the abuse they receive from their aggressors. Anyone seeking help can reach out to the Marjaree Mason Center's 24-hour crisis hotline at 559-233-4357 or visit the National Domestic Violence Hotline website.