Police are investigating a shooting between a La Mesa couple that happened Thursday night.
The incident happened around 11:30 p.m. on the 7300-block of Princeton Avenue. Police said a 73-year-old woman called 911 to report that she had been shot in the hand by her husband.
The woman also added that she had given her husband divorce papers. Court records show that the victim had filed for divorce on June 13. The couple has been married for more than 54 years.
When police arrived at the scene, suspect 82-year-old Clyde Hayen was still home. He was taken into custody and later booked into San Diego Central Jail on an attempted murder charge. He’s scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday.
The victim, identified as Sandra Hayen, was taken to a local hospital for treatment. According to officials, the victim was not only shot in the hand by her husband, she was shot in the stomach area too, though further details of her injuries were not immediately disclosed.
On Friday, the couple’s neighbors said they were shocked about the shooting and filled with sadness.
Witness Kullen Stanfield, a longtime neighbor of the Hayens, told NBC 7 the scene was tense outside the couple’s home following the incident.
“We see the spotlights over on the neighbor’s house a few doors down, and the helicopter's shouting out, ‘Come out with your hands up! Come out with your hands above your head! Stand up, and keep your hands above your head!’ And I have no idea what's going on,” he recalled.
Neighbors also described the shooting suspect as "caustic," and said his mental focus was declining and he couldn't cook his own meals.
But, while neighbors say the suspect was sometimes "hostile" toward other residents in the area, they say they never saw him act out toward his longtime wife.
The victim’s pastor also spoke to NBC 7 Friday about the shooting, saying, “Sandra has always been a strong person, a very artistic person, and a person of strong faith, too. I'm sure that -- more than anything -- will help Sandra through this tough time."
