San Diego police are investigating a homicide in the Ocean Beach neighborhood after a fight between two people turned deadly on Wednesday night. The altercation happened around 8:40 p.m. near Abbott Street and Newport Avenue, according to the San Diego Police Department.
What is known about the Ocean Beach homicide?
Police have confirmed the fight was fatal but have released few other details. The suspect is not in custody, though officers said there is no current threat to the public.
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Authorities have not publicly identified the people involved or described what led to the dispute. The investigation is described as developing, and the department has said more information will follow.
Why is a 2008 killing back in the news?
Days before the Ocean Beach death, San Diego County Crime Stoppers and the police homicide unit announced a larger reward in the unsolved shooting of Darnell Smith, who was 20 when he was killed in 2008.
Smith was walking with relatives to his aunt's home in the Emerald Hills area around 12:20 a.m. on June 15, 2008, when someone got out of a vehicle and fired several shots, authorities said. He died at the scene.
Witnesses described the getaway vehicle as a newer black Ford Escape, or something similar, with darkened rear windows, according to investigators.
At the time of his death, Smith worked for Cox Communications and was studying business administration at San Diego Mesa College.
What other recent incidents are connected?
Police have also reported a separate collision in Ocean Beach on October 23, when a 52-year-old woman riding an e-bike was seriously hurt. According to the department, a minivan struck her near the 4700 block of West Point Loma Boulevard while the driver was making a U-turn. The driver, a 35-year-old man, was arrested on suspicion of DUI, and police said alcohol played a role.
How can the public help?
The reward in the Smith case totals $53,500, with $50,000 from the California Governor's Office, $2,500 from Cox Communications and $1,000 from Crime Stoppers. Tips can go to the police homicide unit or to Crime Stoppers anonymously.
Anyone with information about the Ocean Beach fight is asked to contact San Diego police.
FAQ
Is there a danger to the public after the Ocean Beach homicide?
Police said the suspect is not in custody but that there is no current threat to the public.
How much is the reward in the Darnell Smith case?
Authorities are offering $53,500 for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the 2008 killing.
