Store owner accused of shooting shoplifter arrested on assault charge
Bakersfield CA May 2 2017 The owner of a convenience store who authorities say shot a suspected shoplifter in the back was arrested Thursday on an assault charge, deputies said.
Elias Aguilar, owner of Azteca Market at 2801 Weedpatch Highway, was charged with assault with a firearm and taken into custody around 1:30 p.m., deputies said. Bail has been set at $50,000.
Prosecutors declined to file charges against David Carrillo, the suspected shoplifter.
At 11:20 a.m. March 27, Carrillo entered the market, selected several items worth about $11 and placed them on the front counter, according to deputies. He briefly left the store, then returned.
Carrillo gave Aguilar a Walmart gift card, took the items and began running out of the store, deputies said. When Carrillo was outside the store, Aguilar fired two rounds through the front window, striking Carrillo once in the back.
A vehicle arrived and Carrillo was helped inside. The vehicle fled, but was found a short time later in the area of Morning Drive and Breckenridge Road, deputies said.
Carrillo was taken to Kern Medical in critical condition. The driver of the vehicle fled by the time deputies arrived and has not been identified.
Bakersfield.com
