Shooting spree in city of San Diego, East County leaves 3 injured, 1 dead

A 22-year-old man was arrested Friday on suspicion of committing a trio of shootings in the city of San Diego and Spring Valley that left three people hurt and one man dead, San Diego police officials said.

Jaime Gonzalez, a Lemon Grove resident, was arrested in the San Diego community of Bay Terraces about 9:45 p.m. — about thirty minutes after the third shooting, San Diego homicide Lt. Steve Shebloski said. Gonzalez was booked into jail on suspicion of murder, attempted murder and other gun crimes.

Investigators are still determining a motive for the incidents, but it appears Gonzalez drove around targeting random groups of people, Shebloski said. In each case, Gonzalez is suspected of getting out of his vehicle, approaching on foot and then opening fire. Police believe he acted alone.

The first shooting was reported about 8:10 p.m. in Spring Valley on Dovecrest Court near Lamar Street. Gonzalez allegedly shot at someone, but no one was hit, Shebloski said. Because of the shooting's location, sheriff's investigators are looking into the incident.

About 15 minutes later, multiple people called 911 to report gunfire on Akins Avenue near 62nd Street in the San Diego community of Encanto, Shebloski said. Officers arrived in minutes and discovered a gunmen had opened fire on four teens, hitting two. One 15-year-old boy suffered gunshot wounds to the upper body and arms. Another 15-year-old boy was shot in the arm.

Both victims were taken to a hospital and are expected to recover, Shebloski said. Two other boys, ages 15 and 16, were not injured.

Then, around 9:15 p.m., a third shooting was reported on Manzana Way near Goode Street in the San Diego community of Bay Terraces.

Officers again arrived in minutes and found two men who had been shot, Shebloski said. One of the victims, a 34-year-old man, suffered a gunshot wound to his upper body. He was taken to a hospital and is expected to survive. The second victim suffered multiple gunshot wounds and sharp force injuries throughout his body. He died before he could be taken to a hospital.

He was identified, but his name will not be released until his family has been notified, police said.

After gathering a detailed description of the gunman and his vehicle, San Diego officers determined the shootings were likely connected, police said. Officers flooded several areas in an effort to find the man, and located a vehicle that matched the one described about 9:45 p.m. on Paradise Valley Road near South Worthington Street.

Gonzalez was taken into custody without incident, Shebloski said. During the arrest, officers found a semi-automatic 9mm handgun in the vehicle. The weapon appeared to be a ghost gun.

San Diego detectives are taking the lead on the investigation, and will be cataloging evidence, locating surveillance video and interviewing witnesses. Anyone with information about the shootings was asked to call the department's Homicide Unit at (619) 531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.