A suspect accused of shooting and killing a man near Old Town San Diego State Historic Park Friday night appeared in court for the first time Wednesday.
Suspect Johny Gastelum, 38, pleaded not guilty to shooting and killing Leo Rutledge, 35, several times on San Diego Avenue.
The San Diego Police Department (SDPD) said a 911 caller reported a wounded man on the sidewalk in the 2200 block of San Diego Avenue around 10:20 p.m. When officers arrived in the area, they discovered an unconscious victim suffering from major gunshot trauma to his upper body.
Despite efforts to save his life, the man succumbed to his injuries at the scene, police confirmed.
Police said both Gastelum and Rutledge live in the Old Town area. Though the motive for the killing is unknown, officers believe the men were involved in a confrontation on San Diego Avenue just before the shooting.
Prosecutor Marissa Bejarno said the incident was an unprovoked shooting and noted it wasn't the first time Gastelum had a run in with the law.
"The defendant has a prior criminal history dating back to 1999. It includes a 2008 conviction for assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury, and he was also on probation," she said.
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Bail for Gastelum was set at $2 million dollars. He is set to appear in court again later this month.
Some Old Town residents were shocked to hear of the deadly crime in their neighborhood, including Paul Tessaro.
“It’s a little disconcerting for this peaceful neighborhood, not knowing what happened,” Tessaro told NBC 7. “It’s a very tranquil neighborhood, very unlikely that something like this would happen.”
The shooting is under investigation and anyone with information should contact the SDPD’s Homicide Unit at (619) 531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.
