It happened around 8:30 at Maple and Tulare. Police are still looking for a second suspect.
29-year old Fernando Valencia was shot and killed Sunday night after he and another man allegedly tried to rob the U-Save liquor store in Southeast Fresno.
Fresno police say Valencia who has a long criminal history, pointed a loaded gun at the store clerk and demanded money. The clerk tried to escape, but Valencia blocked his path. The clerk then shot Valencia, and the other suspect ran away.
Police Chief Jerry Dyer says the clerk has the right to defend himself and will not face any criminal charges. "Well, whether you're a home owner or a business owner, you have the legal right to carry a firearm in your business or your home and I support that and it's unfortunate somebody lost their life but that store owner felt the need to protect himself and he did."
The owner of this store where Sunday night's shooting occurred did not want to go on camera but told Action News he was robbed just about a month ago.
He and other liquor store owners say it's one of the dangers associated with their job. "There's just a lot of robberies going around these days especially in this area, so yeah, we have to do something about it."
Neal Gupta was working at this liquor store in Northwest Fresno on Thanksgiving when he says three men walked in carrying guns, told everyone in the store to get down, and then took off with nearly $700 dollars in cash. "Pretty scary? It is. It is very scary, I thought I was going to lose my life, you know."
On Saturday, a gunman robbed this nearby 711. The owner said East Indian owned businesses are being targeted. "Because they're all foreigners, they own a business so people know they have money."
The Fresno Police Department does not see a criminal trend against people of East Indian descent. Instead they say robberies are up city-wide.
