CBS 8 Sports Anchor Shot in Scripps Ranch

Sports anchor Kyle Kraska was shot by Mike Montana, police say

The shooting of a San Diego CBS sports director in Scripps Ranch led police on a countywide manhunt that ended with a SWAT standoff Tuesday night at an El Cajon home.

Just after 3 p.m., gunshots riddled a silver Mercedes driven by CBS Sports Director Kyle Kraska as he was leaving for work. The shots shattered the car's back window in a cul-de-sac south of Scripps Ranch Parkway.

"I heard a bunch of gunfire, and then there was a pause, and then there was another bunch of gunfire," said neighbor Stephen Rowe, who reported hearing at least 12 rounds. Rowe said he walked up the street to find a man lying on the ground with his knees bent.

A neighbor, who did not want to be identified, said she heard Kraska saying, "Oh my God, oh my God."

"And then I see the white van turn around and it stopped shooting for a second ... turning around the cul-de-sac and continued shooting for a few more pops," she said.

NBC 7’s Rory Devine reports the latest on the condition of CBS 8 Sports Director Kyle Kraska, who was shot outside his Scripps Ranch home.

Emergency crews took Kraska Scripps to La Jolla hospital, where he was immediately taken into surgery, a source close to him said. Hours later, the station reported Kraska was out of surgery and his prognosis is good.

mike montana suspect
SDPD

Meanwhile, SDPD Lt. Scott Wahl announced they had identified a suspect in the case: 54-year-old Mike Montana, who was last seen driving a white minivan with "Superior Painting" on the outside. Wahl said the shooting was a "targeted" attack and Montana was considered armed and dangerous.

That van was later spotted in a El Cajon home's driveway. There, El Cajon and San Diego police gathered, waiting for a SWAT team to arrive for backup.

When heavily armored officers riding on a BearCat armored vehicle rolled in, they evacuated neighboring homes before climbing on the roof and surrounding the house.

mike montana surrenders
NBC 7

Using a bullhorn, officers asked Montana to surrender peacefully. A few minutes later, the suspect came out with his hands high in the air.

The company painted on Montana's van was apparently suspended by the Franchise Tax Board in 2013 for unpaid balances, according to business license records. His only previous legal involvement was in small claims court in 2009 against a towing company. Montana won the suit.

No motive has been released in the shooting.

An NBC 7 Investigates check of the County Assessor Office records shows no properties listed as owned by Mike or Michael Montana.

Kyle Kraska, the sports director for CBS News 8, was shot near his Scripps Ranch home, the station reported. NBC 7’s Candice Nguyen joins live coverage of the incident.

When news came in that Kraska was shot, a CBS news photographer said there was a collective gasp of shock in their newsroom.

Kraska started at CBS 8 in 1999 as morning and noon co-anchor, and four years later, he was promoted to evening sports anchor.

Before coming to CBS, he had a stint hosting “Hard Copy,” a nationally syndicated news magazine show and was an evening news anchor at KCBS in Los Angeles.

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