Worker Sought in Shootings of Co-Worker, Boss at Bakery

Police believe a worker shot his boss and a co-worker because of a dispute over missing cash at a North Hills bakery, authorities said Tuesday.

The employee, Luis Alonzo Faraona, is being sought in the shooting, reported to police by one victim’s 5-year-old boy, police said.

Luis Rojas, 48, owner of the Panaderia y Carniceria bakery, and Silvia Garces, 37, an employee, were listed in serious but stable condition Tuesday at a San Fernando Valley hospital and both are expected to recover, Lt. Kyle Jackson said.

Detective Tom Broad said that Faraona, described as 50 to 60 years old, used a shotgun in the assaults Sunday night following a fight over missing receipts.

Broad said police will ask the district attorney’s office to seek charges of attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon against Faraona when he is taken into custody.

The shooting took place about 9 p.m. Sunday at the bakery on Nordhoff Street near Sepulveda Boulevard. Rojas and Faraona argued throughout the day about the missing money and at closing time Faraona locked the front door and went to Rojas’ office, where he got a shotgun that Rojas kept at the store, police said.

Faraona returned to the front of the store and walked up behind Rojas and called him by his first name, Broad said. Rojas turned around to find Faraona standing with a shotgun in his hand.

“Without any further words, Faraona began firing at Rojas, who was struck several times in the upper torso,” Broad said.

Following the shooting, Garces told her son, John, who was in the back of the bakery, to dial 911. Moments later, Faraona shot Silvia Garces once in the upper body, Broad said.

Nuvia Venegas, 31, another employee, who was in the back of the shop during the shootings, walked to the front of the bakery where she saw Faraona holding the shotgun and the two bleeding victims, Broad said. Venegas ran out of the store and waited for police behind the bakery.

Broad said that Venegas had been taken into custody for questioning following the shooting but was released when Faraona was identified as the suspect.

Faraona is identified as Latino, weighing 130 pounds, about 5 feet, 4 inches tall, with pock marks on his face, Jackson said.