A man and a woman were shot and killed while sitting in a car in the Core-Columbia area of downtown San Diego Wednesday, and the suspect died following a police shootout.
A Harbor police officer was also wounded in the exchange of gunfire that took place several blocks to the north.
Due to an ongoing police investigation, please avoid the following areas due to road closures for the next several hours:
— San Diego Police Department (@SanDiegoPD) November 13, 2024
*Kettner Blvd between W. Ivy & Laurel St.
*Union St between W. Ash St. & W. A St.
*The intersection of Union St. & W. Ash St. pic.twitter.com/rXmLwqvpe4
The initial round of gunfire erupted in the 1300 block of Union Street shortly before 8:30 a.m., according to the San Diego Police Department. Officers arrived to find a man, 39, and woman, 31, mortally wounded, Lt. Jud Campbell told reporters.
The victims, who apparently knew the shooter, were inside a car when they were hit. According to reports, one of the victims was shot seven times in the upper torso, and the other was shot in the head.
They died at the scene. The shooter apparently fled toward Ash and India streets.
About 45 minutes later, as a police helicopter circled over downtown San Diego broadcasting a description of the shooter, a bystander flagged down two San Diego Harbor Police officers in the 2200 block of Kettner Boulevard and directed them to a possible suspect.
When the personnel, joined by two other harbor officers, tried to contact the 26-year-old man, who had ducked behind an electrical box, a shootout ensued, leaving one of the lawmen and the suspect wounded.
The officer, who had been part of the Harbor Police for just three months, was taking part in field training at the time of the shooting.
He was transported to a hospital for treatment of a gunshot wound to the hip, SDPD Chief Scott Wahl told reporters.
“We believe he is going to be OK at this point, but his status is unknown,” Wahl said in the late morning.
The suspect was pronounced dead at a hospital.
Initial evidence suggested that the assailant targeted the victims, Campbell said during an afternoon briefing. The lieutenant, however, declined to disclose details on “the relationship between these two victims and the suspect” pending notification of their families.
It also appeared that the suspect prompted the subsequent shootout by opening fire on the officers, according to Campbell.
Wahl earlier had said the motive behind the homicide was “completely unknown at this point,” but said police did not believe there was a further threat to the community.
Homicide detectives are investigating the shooting.
Updated at 11:06 a.m. and 4 p.m. Nov. 13, 2024
City News Service contributed to this report.
