A person found in need of medical aid on Graves Avenue in Santee on Friday later died at a hospital from injuries described as suspicious, prompting sheriff's homicide detectives to take over the investigation as a possible killing.
Deputies and Santee Fire Department personnel responded to a medical-aid call south of Prospect Avenue on Graves Avenue, according to Lieutenant Juan Marquez of the sheriff's Homicide Unit, as reported by the San Diego Union-Tribune. Paramedics transported the injured person to a local hospital, where they died due to injuries of a suspicious nature, per Marquez. Times of San Diego reports that deputies received a call at 9:30 p.m. Friday for medical aid in the 8500 block of Graves Avenue, though the Union-Tribune's account does not specify when the call came in, according to Marquez.
Authorities have not released the identity of the person who died, and it remains unclear whether the victim was male or female or how old they were, according to the same outlet. The San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office will determine the person's identity along with the cause and manner of death, a determination that has not yet been made public.
Sheriff's Office Says No Threat to Santee Residents
Sheriff's homicide detectives have taken over the investigation from patrol deputies, a standard step once a death is treated as suspicious. Marquez said the incident appeared to be isolated and that there was no known threat to the broader community, a message meant to reassure Santee residents even as the case remains unresolved.
No additional details about a suspect, motive, or the circumstances that led to the injuries have been released. The sheriff's Homicide Unit can be reached at 858-285-6330, or at 858-868-3200 after hours, for anyone with information about the death or injury. San Diego County Crime Stoppers also accepts anonymous tips at 888-580-8477.
