San Diego County Sheriff patch
A San Diego County Sheriff’s deputy’s patch. Courtesy of the department

A teenage Oceanside resident was behind bars Thursday on suspicion of gunning down another young man last week near Vista Transit Center.

Homicide detectives arrested 19-year-old Issac Martinez on Tuesday in connection with the death of Jonathan Ruiz, 20, according to San Diego Sheriff‘s officials. Martinez was booked into San Diego Central Jail on suspicion of murder and was being held without bail.

Deputies responding to reports of gunfire shortly before 2:30 p.m. Nov. 4 found Ruiz gravely wounded on a dirt path off the 200 block of Olive Avenue in Vista, Lt. Michael Blevins said. Paramedics took the Vista resident to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

Witnesses described seeing two teenage boys or young men running away from the transit center following the shooting, Blevins said.

Officials have not revealed a possible motive in the case or disclosed what led investigators to identify Martinez as a suspect in the slaying.

— City News Service

Chris Jennewein is founder and senior editor of Times of San Diego.