A homeless man who was badly beaten, allegedly by another transient, at a community basketball court in Grant Hill has died, authorities said Friday.
Zechariah Turner, 32, succumbed to his injuries in a hospital on Thursday, according to the San Diego Police Department.
About 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, a 911 caller reported seeing a man bludgeoning someone under a blanket with a roughly three-foot-long piece of wood in the 2800 block of L Street, Lt. Jud Campbell said.
Paramedics took the victim to a hospital, where he was admitted in critical condition with serious trauma to his upper body. Due to the severity of his injuries, homicide detectives were called in to take charge of the case, Campbell said.
About 90 minutes after the alleged assault, patrol officers found a man matching the assailant’s description in the 2400 block of Imperial Avenue, a few blocks from the scene of the crime.
After questioning the suspect, identified as transient Rashi Michael Foster, 37, they arrested him on suspicion of trying to kill Turner.
“Detectives are working to change the charge from attempted murder to murder,” Campbell said Friday afternoon.
Police have not disclosed a possible motive for the slaying.
– City News Service
