Police Searching for Suspects in Avenal Shooting, Stabbing Incident

AVENAL – Police are investigating a shooting and stabbing that left a 20-year-old man dead in Avenal’s first homicide of the year.

Corner of Stanislaus and A Avenue

Police say gang members are responsible for shooting and killing Albert Alcala and stabbing two other young men early Sunday morning at the corner of Stanislaus Street and A Street in Avenal. A 17-year-old that was stabbed is still in the hospital with serious, but non-life threatening injuries.

According to Avenal Police Chief Jack Amoroso, the Norteno gang members were partying at a home across the street from where Alcala, his brother, and his two friends were walking. Amoroso said the gang members were from out of town and went after the young men for no reason.

“They partied here and then committed a spontaneous crime without provocation from anyone in this community,” he said.

Amoroso does not believe Alcala and his two friends did anything to antagonize the gang members into attacking them. He blames alcohol and gang affiliation as the primary motivators for the crime.

The party the gang members were at was apparently out of control, according to neighbors in the area. They told media outlets that dozens of people were at the home and some of them were outside around 2 a.m. yelling gang slurs.

Although police do not yet have any suspects in custody, they say the investigation is going well and they are closer to making an arrest, thanks in part to witness accounts of the crime.

Police are looking for at least two men who are connected to the Huron Parkside Nortenos. Anyone who has any information should call the Avenal Police Department at (559) 386-4444 .

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