The suspect in a deadly triple shooting in Point Loma appeared in court Friday. NBC 7’s Shelby Bremer has more.
The identities of two people who were killed and a third who was injured in a shooting at a home in Point Loma were revealed Friday in a criminal complaint filed against the suspected gunman.
Laurie and Brett Robinson were killed and June Bushey was injured in the shooting Wednesday afternoon at the latter's home on Zola Street, according to a criminal complaint filed against the suspect, 60-year-old William Bushey. Neighbors told NBC 7 the victims were the suspected gunman's sister and nephew. June Bushey is his 85-year-old mother, who remains hospitalized.
In a virtual arraignment hearing on Friday, William Bushey pleaded not guilty to two charges of murder and a charge of attempted murder. Family and friends of the victims were in the courtroom, supporting one another as the charges were read.
Point Loma Shooting
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A judge ordered a criminal protective order against William Bushey for June Bushey, meaning no contact between them is allowed. He was also ordered held without bail.
NBC 7 learned officers were called by concerned family members to June Bushey's Zola Street home twice in the week leading up to the shooting, once in the afternoon of Aug. 16 and once on the morning of Aug. 19. In both cases, San Diego police determined Bushey's conduct to be verbally aggressive but did not rise to a level required by law for an emergency psychiatric hold, which is issued when someone has, for example, presented themselves as an immediate danger to themselves or others.
"Based on the information the officers had, I believe they made the correct decision," San Diego police Capt. Matt Dobbs said. "Family disturbances and family fights are very emotional situations, and it's very difficult to predict people's future behavior. It's very unpredictable."
Multiple people called 911 just before 4 p.m. Wednesday to report the shooting, including the gunman, according to San Diego police Lt. Jud Campbell. William Bushey was at the front of the house when officers arrived and was taken into custody without struggle.
One victim was found in a side-yard area, while the other one may have been found in the kitchen area inside. An injured June Bushey was in front of the home, Lt. Campbell said.
"She was found out front here at the street," Campbell said. "Officers took her away from the scene and began rendering aid until paramedics could come and get her and rush her to the hospital."
June Bushey's neighbor and friend, Colleen Crowden, was home at the time of the shooting but was not aware of what happened until police arrived. She told NBC 7 she saw her friend exit the home, bloodied, and ran to help before she was told to stay away.
"And then I see my neighbor June coming down the hill and she had blood on her pants, and my first reaction, because I had not thought that those were gunshots, my first reaction when I saw her she was walking like this, and I thought, 'Oh my god, she's cut herself really bad and I’m gonna have to take her to emergency," Crowden recalled. "I'm on my deck and she's coming down the hill, I'm screaming, 'June, what happened? What happened?'"
Crowden was talking to police on her own patio shortly thereafter when she saw officers bring William Bushey out of her neighbor's home in handcuffs.
"I see them bring Billy, her son, down in handcuffs. And I said, 'That’s her son, that’s Billy," Crowden said, "and so she got on her little thing and said, 'The neighbor has identified the suspect as her son."
Officers also located what appeared to be a shotgun in the front yard near where the suspect was found that they say was likely the murder weapon, SDPD said.
Crowden said her friend had lived in the Point Loma home her entire life. The gray single-family home was June Bushey's childhood home and she was a graduate of Point Loma High School, which is just a block away.
William Bushey lived with his mother for 15 years or more. Crowden said he had a medical condition and had moved home so June Bushey could care for him.
William Bushey is due back in court on Dec. 9.
The complaint also charges Bushey with special circumstance allegations of committing multiple murders, meaning he faces life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted.
