A suspect was behind bars Tuesday in connection with a shooting that fatally wounded a 53-year-old man six months ago during an early morning confrontation near Petco Park.
David Gatheright, 42, was booked into San Diego Central Jail on Monday on suspicion of gunning down Brian Noel of San Diego in the 1600 block of Logan Avenue in Barrio Logan, according to police.
Patrol officers responding to reports of gunfire shortly before 6 a.m. June 2 found Noel suffering from gunshot wounds to his chest in the inner- city neighborhood just south of Commercial Street and west of Interstate 5, Lt. Steve Shebloski said.
Paramedics took Noel to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
“During the course of their investigation, detectives learned Noel got into a brief verbal altercation with (another man) shortly before he was shot and killed,” Shebloski said.
Following the fatal gunfire, the assailant fled along with several other people, according to police.
Detectives identified Gatheright — who was arrested in St. Petersburg, Florida, on Nov. 19 and extradited to San Diego — following a “lengthy investigation that included interviewing numerous witnesses, collecting and examining several items of evidence and reviewing surveillance- video footage from the surrounding area,” the lieutenant said.
The nature of the dispute that led to the deadly shooting remains unclear.
Gatheright was being held without bail pending arraignment, scheduled for Thursday at San Diego Central Courthouse.
–City News Service