Authorities reached out to the public Tuesday for help in identifying the suspect or suspects who fired a pellet gun at night spots in the Hillcrest area last spring, injuring one person in what is being investigated as hate crimes.
The drive-by assaults occurred in the early-morning hours of May 18, mostly targeting gay bars, according to the San Diego Police Department.
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The shootings, involving a gel-pellet gun, were carried out by one or more occupants of a black late-model sedan traveling past the following businesses:
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- The Rail at Fifth and Robinson avenues, where one of the projectiles struck a security guard on the arm
- Number One Fifth Avenue
- Rich's on University Avenue, where three people were struck, including an employee who had to undergo minor surgery for a resulting eye injury
- Pecs Bar, also on University Avenue
Additionally, a man was targeted by the gel pellets while walking with his wife in Old Town — an assault that is not believed to have been hate-motivated, police said.
These are separate from the series of pellet gun attacks in Hillcrest that happened earlier this month, which are being investigated by San Diego police as possible hate crimes. The suspects in the September incidents were seen driving a light-colored minivan, and there were at least four victims that were not seriously injured, SDPD said.
SDPD Lt. Jason Weeden said the most-recent attacks are not believed to be connected to the May incidents.
San Diego County Crime Stoppers, in partnership with the San Diego LGBTQ+ Historic Task Force and the Hate Crime Fund, is offering a $2,000 reward to anyone with information that leads to an arrest in the case. Tipsters are asked to contact Crime Stoppers — anonymously, if preferred — at 888-580-8477 or sdcrimestoppers.org.
