Riverside Police Arrest Suspect in Fatal Car Theft Shooting

“On Wednesday, July 24, 2024 around 12:20 a.m., Riverside Police Officers responded to the 9100 block of Magnolia Avenue for a reported car theft that just occurred with the suspect crashing into parked vehicles and a dumpster before stopping. When the officers arrived, they found the stolen Honda Civic with an adult man slumped over and unresponsive in the driver’s seat. They discovered the man was suffering from a gunshot wound to his head. He was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased a few hours later.

Detectives with the Robbery – Homicide Unit, along with Specialists from the Forensics Unit, responded and assumed the investigation. They have been assisted by the Gang Intelligence Unit, Crime Analysis Unit, and the Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner’s Office. The deceased car theft suspect has been identified as 35-year-old Alex Arzate of Riverside.

Investigators were able to quickly identify the shooting suspect as Tony Ortiz, 41-years-old of Perris. They believe Ortiz witnessed Arzate steal the Honda Civic, then produce a handgun and shoot Arzate as he was driving away in the stolen car.

With assistance from the METRO Team, detectives located Ortiz at his residence in Perris several hours after the shooting and arrested him. A search warrant obtained for his house resulted in finding several firearms, one of which detectives believe was used to shoot Arzate. Ortiz was later booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center for murder and weapons violations, and is currently being held on one million dollars bail.

This investigation is continuing and there are no further details to release at this time. Anyone with additional information should contact Detective Richard Glover at (951) 353-7134 or RGlover@RiversideCA.gov, or Detective Stanley Hua at (951) 353-7135 or SHua@RiversideCA.gov.

Those wishing to remain anonymous can download the Riverside Police Department’s “Atlas 1” mobile app and utilize the “Send a Message” feature to send us the information.”