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OXNARD POLICE DEPARTMENT
NEWS RELEASE
| INCIDENT: | Robbery/Attempt Murder Arrest |
| DATE/TIME: | January 4, 2018, 11:00 a.m. |
| LOCATION: | Ventura County Main Jail |
| SUSPECT(S): | Juan Ayala, 20 years, Oxnard resident |
| PREPARED BY: | Brett A. Smith, Sergeant
Brett.smith@oxnardpd.org (805) 248-9122 |
| CONTACT PERSON AND CONTACT INFO: | Brett A. Smith, Sergeant
Brett.smith@oxnardpd.org (805) 248-9122 |
DETAILS: On December 31, 2017, at approximately 6:00 p.m., Officers from the Oxnard Police Department were dispatched to a possible gunshot victim at Vons grocery store located at 1291 South Victoria Avenue. Upon arriving, officers learned that two subjects had entered the store, selected 2 cases of beer and left without paying. Loss prevention employees attempted to contact the subjects outside the store. One of the subjects, later identified as Juan Ayala 6/24/97, was confronted by a loss prevention employee who grabbed Ayala’s shirt causing him to drop the two (2) cases of beer he was holding. Ayala pulled a firearm from his waistband, pointed it at the employee’s head and fired one shot, nearly striking the employee and causing temporary hearing loss. As Ayala ran to a nearby vehicle he shot at the victim a second time, again missing him. During the initial investigation a witness described the getaway vehicle as white SUV, possibly a 2005-2011 Chevrolet Trailblazer with out of state license plates.
On January 1, 2018, at approximately 4:15 p.m., Port Hueneme Police were dispatched to a fight at the beach, 500 block of East Surfside Drive. As Port Hueneme Officers arrived they observed a subject, later identified as Juan Ayala 6/24/97, fleeing the scene holding his waistband. During a brief foot pursuit Ayala threw a handgun. Ayala was apprehended and the handgun was recovered. During the Port Hueneme investigation, they learned Ayala was in possession of a set of keys to a white Chevy Trailblazer with Idaho license plates. Their officers were aware of the incident the previous day at Vons and contacted the Oxnard Police Department’s Violent Crimes Unit.
On January 2, 2018, investigators reviewed surveillance video of the beer theft and observed Ayala and another subject in the store taking two cases of beer. Ayala was identified as the shooter by witnesses. Investigators contacted Ayala, who was in custody at the Ventura County Jail from the Port Hueneme incident, and arrested him for robbery and attempt Murder.
If anyone has further information, they are encouraged to call Oxnard PD at (805) 385-7796. If you wish to remain anonymous you may call the violent crimes hotline at (805) 982-7070 or Ventura County Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477. You can also visit this site http://www.venturacountycrimestoppers.org/contactus.aspx to submit a tip via text or email.
