Shots Fired, 1 Killed Outside Escondido Vons Grocery Store

An argument outside a grocery store entrance resulted in shots fired and three men hit, one of them killed Escondido police said Wednesday.

The shooting happened in the parking lot of the Vons at 351 W. Felicita Avenue near Centre City Parkway just before 8:30 p.m.

A few people had just walked out of the Vons when an argument broke out in the parking stalls just to the left of the store entrance, officials said.

A man pulled out a gun and aimed at the three men sitting in a car, police said.

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“Everything just happened so fast. Bam, bam, bam,” said one witness who asked not to be identified.

One man, 35-year-old Miguel Pedroza Fuentes of Escondido, died as a result of the shooting, officials said. Fuentes' 32-year-old brother and a 28-year-old Escondido man were transported to Palomar Medical Center with gunshot wounds.

“It does appear they were the intended targets,” Escondido Police Department Lt Neal Griffin.

“There was no return fire. This was not an exchange of gunfire.”

Officials said the shooting suspect - described only as a Hispanic male, 18 to 20 years old, with no facial hair, wearing dark clothing and a hat - left the area on foot.

The shopping center is filled with retail shops and offices ranging from a dentist and nail salon to a bank and restaurant. 

The witness who spoke to NBC 7 said the shooting made him realize anything can happen at anytime, anywhere.

"We go to Vons, we go anywhere else, anything can happen. We can't underestimate people now," he said. 

Escondido investigators are not identifying the shooting victims and are asking the public to call (760) 743-TIPS (8477) to make an anonymous tip.