Phoenix police identify man hit, killed by car during attempted robbery; 2 arrested

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) — Police said two men face various charges after a robbery attempt ended with the victim being hit and killed by a car in Phoenix late Sunday night.

Around 7:30 p.m., officers responded to 35th Avenue and Bethany Home Road on reports of a stabbing. As police arrived on the scene, they learned a crash and a shooting had occurred moments later, likely linked to the original call. Officers then found 28-year-old Frank Avila with a gunshot wound. He was hospitalized with injuries that were not life-threatening. The man who shot Avila was released after being interviewed by detectives.

At the scene, detectives were also directed to the crash site, where they found 26-year-old Martin Anaya had been struck by a car. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, later dying from his injuries. The vehicle that hit Anaya took off from the scene.

Over the course of the investigation, detectives say that Avila was trying to rob Anaya on a city bus when Avila stabbed him. At that point, Anaya ran off the bus, trying to get away, but was hit by a car. Investigators later identified 46-year-old Alberto Valenzuela and arrested him for leaving the scene of a deadly collision.

Booking photos for both Avila and Valenzuela were not immediately released.

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