San Diego police are investigating the shooting that left two Venezuelan migrants dead over the weekend. It’s the latest in a string of crimes in the area. NBC 7’s Dave Summers has the latest on this community in turmoil.
A National City resident was behind bars Monday on suspicion of fatally shooting two young men over the weekend in Barrio Logan.
Guillermo David Gonzalez, 23, allegedly approached the victims and opened fire on them in the 1700 block of Newton Avenue shortly after 9:30 p.m. Saturday, according to the San Diego Police Department.
Following the gunfire, the assailant got into a 2012 Kia Forte belonging to one of the victims, SDPD Lt. Lou Maggi said. Noticing someone in the back seat, the gunman ordered her out, then drove off.
Get top local stories in San Diego delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC San Diego's News Headlines newsletter.
One of the victims, 18, died at the scene, Maggi said. Paramedics took the other man, 23, to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Police have withheld the names of the victims — both believed to be recent immigrants from Venezuela — pending family notification.
Three men living at the Alpha Project homeless shelter down the street say they knew the victims. They say one lived in the Kia that was stolen, while the other lived in another nearby shelter. Both cleaned restaurants at night to make ends meet, according to the three men.
The day after the shooting, Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies spotted the stolen Kia with Gonzalez inside it in Rosemead and arrested him without incident, Maggi said.
Local
Gonzalez was booked into San Diego Central Jail on suspicion of robbery, carjacking and two counts of first-degree murder. He was being held without bail pending arraignment, scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.
Police have disclosed no suspected motive for the deadly shooting.
Stephanie Alemann lives on Newton Avenue near Beardsley Street. Her children go to Perkins Elementary School, which is also near where the shooting took place.
"It is too much going on," Alemann said. "I have to like pretend to put on the music, so my kids look the other way, so my kids don't have to see this. I am trying to create a healthy environment for my kids."
As of late, Barrio Logan has been a hot bed of criminal activity. San Diego police just got a break in an 18-month long extortion case — the extortion of some businesses on Logan Avenue. They're investigating two homicides that may be connected to the problems in the area. One of them happened just a couple weeks ago down the street at Chicano Park. They are also investigating the assault of Venezuelan migrants at Chicano Park skirmishes, violent ones between rival gangs.
Police say the beat down on Venezuelan migrants in Chicano Park they're investigating have a territorial motive to them.
"Even city workers and people that want to come and work on the park have met some resistance from members who have basically taken over the park and believe it's their right to kick individuals out," police Capt. Manny Del Torro said.
When asked about these most recent killings, Maggi told NBC 7: "At this time we are not aware of any connection to any other cases."
Business owners and residents remain on alert. Police say they can't guarantee trouble won't find them, but they have committed more patrols and focused areas to curb the violence.
