Police Continue Search for Robbers in Deadly Holdup

VENTURA —  As detectives continued their search for two gunmen in a deadly Friday afternoon market robbery, the condition of one of the surviving victims was upgraded from critical.

Mohan Singh, 42, co-owner of Central Market, was upgraded to fair condition after sustaining a gunshot wound to the chest, said a hospital official.

The bullet “avoided all of the major organs,” said nursing supervisor Pam Wells.

Ventura Police Lt. Skip Young said the investigation was hampered by conflicting witness accounts of the getaway car and several dead-end tips.

“We don’t have any suspects yet,” he said.

Two masked gunmen entered the market in the 500 block of North Ventura Avenue about 1 p.m. Friday, demanding money, police said.

Before the two owners and an employee could comply, the gunmen opened fire, killing Primitivo Alejandro Alvarez, 35, of Ventura, and wounding Singh and his brother, Balbir Singh, 44, also of Ventura.

Balbir Singh was treated for minor gunshot wounds and released.

The gunmen fled the scene without taking any money and were last seen driving away from the market in what some witnesses described as a silver or gray coupe or sedan.

Staff photographer Bryan Chan contributed to this report.