A University Heights man was in custody Tuesday, accused of shooting a San Diego city worker with a shotgun as the worker was checking the water line on the man's property.
Shots were fired just after 8:30 p.m. Monday on Meade Avenue near Maryland Street.
Piping along the streets of the neighborhood has been under construction for more than a month, according to one resident.
The victim was at the suspect's water meter when the suspect came outside. Words were exchanged and the suspect fired at the worker with a shotgun, police said.
Witnesses told NBC 7 the worker was shot in his right shoulder.
"It seems like it's hard to understand why that would even occur,” witness Danica Forest said. ”I saw them walking in the neighborhood with the construction worker vests on, so you would think that the person was working for the city.”
The suspect has been identified as Nathan Brogan, 79, according to San Diego police.
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Neighbors said they saw Brogan in the street after the shooting and he appeared disoriented. He was taken into custody when police arrived.
On Tuesday, police confirmed Brogan faced charges of attempted murder, negligent discharge of a firearm and using a firearm in the commission of a felony.
The victim was transported to Scripps Mercy Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. His co-workers described him as a 55-year-old man who's been on the job for nearly 20 years.
Fellow city workers confirmed to NBC 7 that residents of Meade Avenue had been without water the afternoon before the shooting because of work being done on the street.
One resident, who has lived in the neighborhood for more than 16 years, told NBC 7 the street has been under construction with city workers in the area for more than a month.
“It should be no surprise that they have been working on water,” she said.
She added that the city worker was in uniform at the time of the shooting.
