Clerk Arrested in Murder Investigation NR19294jc

Sun Valley: On Saturday, October 25, 2019, just after midnight, Foothill Area officers responded to a radio call of a robbery (“beer run”) in Sun Valley in the area of Vineland Avenue and Cantara Street. When they arrived, they discovered a clerk had chased and confronted the suspects involved in the incident. During this confrontation, the clerk claimed that one of the suspects had pulled a knife and had threatened him. The clerk then ran over the suspect with his vehicle killing him.

One of the deceased suspect’s associates began to shoot at the clerk, striking his vehicle multiple times. Four female passersby stopped to aid the victim in the street. One of the female passersby picked up a knife and skateboard near the victim’s body and attempted to leave in a Nissan sedan. The clerk rammed her vehicle, hoping to prevent her from leaving the scene and the clerk pursued the Nissan. The driver of the pursued Nissan ultimately crashed into a building in the 8000 block of Vineland Avenue. All four occupants of the Nissan were detained and questioned. The shooter, only identified as a male Hispanic, remains at large. Detectives determined that the clerk had left the business and went searching for the suspects, finding them a short time later.

Operations-Valley Bureau Homicide Personnel investigated the case and have arrested the clerk He is identified as Jose Mier from Sun Valley and is described as a Hispanic male standing at five feet five inches and weighing 200 pounds. Jose Mier was arrested and booked for Penal Code §187(a) – Murder; A felony with Bail Set at $2,000,000.00.

The deceased has been identified as 18-year-old Alonso Avalos of Sun Valley California.

Anyone with additional information is urged to call Detective Bucknell, Los Angeles Police Department, Valley Bureau Homicide, at (818) 374-1941. During non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (877-527-3247) or by texting 274637 (C-R-I-M-E-S on most keypads) with a cell phone. All text messages should begin with the letters “LAPD.” Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call the LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477) or go directly to www.lacrimestoppers.org. Tipsters may also visit www.lapdonline.org and click on, “Anonymous Web Tips” under the, “Get Involved-Crime Stoppers” menu to submit an online tip. Lastly, tipsters may also download the, “P3 Tips” mobile application and select the LA Regional Crime Stoppers as their local program.