A Saturday night eruption of gunfire in San Diego's University City neighborhood has left one man dead and another injured, said authorities. According to the San Diego Police Department, the violence unfolded near Nobel Drive and Lombard Place, near Westfield UTC shopping mall, around 8:15 p.m. Shots rang out by Palisade UTC—a high-end residential complex with luxury high-rise apartments, as per their website.
Officers arriving on the scene discovered two men struck by bullets—one lying in the street and another near a vehicle in front of the Palisade UTC's parking garage. They were quickly transported to a local hospital to receive care for multiple gunshot wounds. The 30-year-old man found on the roadway ultimately succumbed to his injuries and was declared deceased, while the 39-year-old man was reported in stable condition, NBC San Diego reported. The identities of the two men have been withheld while police continue to investigate.
Authorities believe the shooting was a targeted attack, as they described the suspect to have approached on foot, opening fire at the men's vehicle, and then fleeing westbound. The suspect's description was limited to wearing a light-colored jacket and dark pants. Nearby roads were closed for hours as part of the extensive investigation, police indicated on social media.
Melissa Fulton, a local resident, expressed her shock at the incident to NBC San Diego noting that "shootings are not common in her neighborhood." She was met with a police barricade when trying to return home from a bonfire, preventing access to her house as law enforcement examined the crime scene. SDPD Officer Darius Jamsetjee quickly assured the public that the mall was not involved and emphasized that this was not an "active shooter situation," according to a statement obtained by NBC San Diego.
As detectives work diligently to piece together the events, they urge anyone who might have information to contact the SDPD's Homicide Unit or to anonymously contact Crime Stoppers, as indicated in a report by 10News.
