Good morning, San Diego ☀️
Here’s what we have for you today:
- I don’t remember George Lucas mentioning Flock in his movies, but Darth Vader has spoken: The Empire is a fan of the controversial surveillance tech.
- The USS Washington has arrived to relieve the USS Lincoln amid reports of severe mental health issues and supply shortages.
Tessa Balc
Audience engagement producer
Top story
Former acting U.S. attorney for Southern District found dead inside federal building
San Diego police received word that Andrew Haden — an assistant U.S. Attorney who twice served as acting head of the Southern District of California — was missing late Wednesday night.
Hours later, officers were called to the Edward J. Schwartz Building where they found Haden dead in an office.
Our Dorian Hargrove broke this tragic news and spoke with the San Diego Police Department, which said investigators aren’t publicly releasing details around the death. That information will come when the Medical Examiner reports on the official cause and manner of death. What SDPD is saying, though, is that there appears to be no foul play involved.
In a statement yesterday, U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon confirmed Haden’s death.
“This is one of the darkest days in our office’s history, but there was nothing dark about Andrew Haden’s life,” Gordon said. “He was a beacon of light — full of laughter, friendship, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to serving our community. We will honor his life and legacy by carrying his light forward, today and always.”
The two-time acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of California was a San Diego native and graduate of University City High School. He graduated law school at University of San Diego and served as an adjunct professor there.
He had served in the U.S. Attorney’s Office since 2010 and worked in the General Crimes Section and Major Crimes Section. Before he was appointed acting U.S. attorney, he was Chief of the Violent Crimes and Human Trafficking Section of the office.
We’ll have more details as they come out.
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Locals Only
📚 We asked you: What’s the best bookstore in East County? Here’s what San Diegans had to say:
📖 Meet Cute Romance Bookshop on La Mesa Blvd. from Drew S.
📚 Maxwell’s House of Books on La Mesa Blvd. from Sue T.