Man robbed, shot when he arrived to pay employees. What Fresno County detectives learned

A farm labor supervisor was fortunate to escape with his life when he was robbed and shot on New Year’s Eve at a market just south of Fresno.

Fresno County Sheriff detectives released a video of the crime Tuesday morning in an effort to locate the bandit.

The robbery took place at the Valentine Market, in the 1400 block of South Valentine Avenue just after 4 p.m. Sheriff’s spokesman Tony Botti said the supervisor arrived in an SUV and was passing out paychecks when a Dodge Charger carrying the robber pulled up and the gunman approached, shot out a window while demanding the cash in Spanish.

The victim put his SUV in reverse and was backing away with the gunman hanging from the vehicle, firing more gunshots. The victim was struck in the hands and leg before the robber was thrown from the vehicle.

The bandit, described as about 25 years old, 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds, with a neck tattoo, ran back to the Charger, which fled south on Valentine. It is not known how many people were in the getaway car.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 559-498-7867.

This story was originally published January 5, 2021 at 8:06 AM.