Two crimes that happened early Thursday morning might be connected, police said.
At 1:07 a.m. National City Police got calls from residents at an apartment complex, on the corner of 3rd and J Avenue, that they had heard shots fired and a man yelling for help. When they arrived, they found one person, described as 26-year-old black man, lying in the parking lot. He had been shot in the back five times with a semiautomatic and was rushed into surgery.
National City Police put out information on the stolen car and got a call about two hours later from San Diego Police that the Ocean Beach Hostel on Newport Avenue had been robbed at gunpoint. Based on car, suspect and weapon descriptions, they believe these might be the same suspects responsible for the carjacking and shooting in National City.
The car is described as a gray 2004 Toyota Corolla, with the license plate: 5HLJ716.
The victim of the carjacking was listed in critical condition.
