Officials have told reporters that a 26-year-old man shot and killed a 39-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman inside a car in a brazen broad-daylight double-homicide Wednesday morning. According to NBC News, SDPD Lt. Jud Campbell told a press conference that the unidentified gunman was killed by return fire from two officers, after the suspect shot an SDPD field trainee with just three months on the job. The new officer did not fire on the suspect.
Lt. Campbell explained that the two victims were pulled from the vehicle and officers attempted to render aid, but were unable to resuscitate them using CPR. The stricken officer was transported to UC San Diego Medical Center suffering a gunshot wound to the hip. The suspect was also transported to an area hospital where he later died.
Although the investigation is in its early stages Campbell told reporters:
Homicide Capt. Manuel del Toro added additional information stating that police believe the gunman and victims knew each other. “We think that the three knew each other and that there was also a motive for this,” he answered reporters in Spanish. “He shot many times there with a lot of hatred and aimed at the two of them, so we think there is a connection. That is what we are investigating.”“I will say this: This was not a random attack. We do believe this was targeted.”
Campbell described the attack saying that after the initial shooting, police were searching for the gunman with a description of his clothing and a citizen had flagged down the officers , “Essentially what he described was: He had seen a male duck behind an electrical box,” Campbell said. “That drew his attention to the male. He listened to the announcement from [police helicopter] ABLE … and realized this is probably the person who police are looking for.”Earlier today, a Port of San Diego Harbor Police Officer was shot and injured in the line of duty and underwent surgery. The heroic actions of several HPD officers who were on scene at the time of the shooting saved lives. Keep him, his family and HPD in your thoughts. pic.twitter.com/9ictSqxf7f
— Port of San Diego Harbor Police (@PortSDHPD) November 13, 2024
As four officers triangulated in on the suspect, they began to give him verbal commands “As they were doing that, it appears the suspect began firing at them, multiple rounds,” Campbell said per NBC. “Two of the officers returned fire, striking the suspect, and, as you know, one of the Harbor Police officers was struck in the thigh area.”
SDPD Chief Scott Wahl told the gathered press “This could've been much worse. I have to commend the officers from the Harbor Police Department in their response and the way that they engaged the suspect. This is Little Italy; we have people walking the streets, coffee shops... their ability to run towards gunfire and to courageously engage this individual, I believe, saved lives.”
“The motive and the reason behind this shooting is completely unknown at this point,” Wahl said, noting that the department still had no information on the attacker’s identity.
He added, “I'd like to tell everybody to keep this police officer in their thoughts and prayers; this is a very dangerous job that we do and today signifies that.”
Harbor Police Chief Magda Fernandez provided an update on the injured officer later in the day and told the outlet “I did speak to him before he went into surgery,” however she declined to identify the officer. “He was awake, he was alert and he was in good spirits," she said. “I will tell you that the actions of all officers on scene saved lives today.”
