Two people have died after a shootout between two groups broke out at an apartment complex in San Diego's Grantville neighborhood on Friday night, officials said.
The incident happened around 8:50 p.m. in the 4500 block of Alvarado Canyon Road near the Grantville Trolley Station, according to the San Diego Police Department.
Police said the preliminary investigation shows an altercation occurred among a group of people near the apartment complex's pool area.
At least one suspect, maybe two, pulled out firearms and began firing, police said.
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Officers found two victims, men in their 20s and 30s, in a stairwell who were then taken to the hospital, SDPD Officer D. Abernathy said. Both victims have died, according to SDPD.
The victims have not yet been identified. SDPD's Homicide Unit has taken over the investigation and detectives are working with the County Medical Examiner to find out their identities.
The suspects may have escaped the scene on foot in the west direction. Initially, the suspect(s) were described as one or two men wearing red hoodies and black or red pants, according to police.
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Officers initially detained a group of people leaving the complex following the shooting. No one in that group has been found to be a suspect and were all released at the scene.
Police used their helicopter to check the area on Friday night, but the suspects could not be located.
Several SDPD divisions responded to the shooting, as well as deputies from the San Diego County Sheriff's Department and officers from the California Highway Patrol, according to SDPD.
No other information was immediately available.
Deadly Grantville apartment complex shooting raises concerns among residents
NBC 7's Kelvin Henry spoke with residents in the area on Saturday who say it's a safe neighborhood but are shaken up after the shooting.
"I started to cry because I was a little scared," Grantville resident Sydnie Feder said, recalling back the harrowing moments after the shooting. "Right as I got into my friend's car, that's when I got a text from one of my roommate's girlfriends saying, 'Did you hear the gunshots by the pool?'"
Sam Monziardini, another Grantville resident, says this incident was too close to home.
"The pool area is right next to the gym, and we go there at least a couple times per week, and we've gone swimming there a couple of times, and we were just in the hot tub last weekend," Monziardini said.
Feder says management at the apartment complex is keeping them updated.
"They sent out an email maybe early (Saturday) morning and another in the afternoon," Feder said. "It was basically saying the stuff that was on the articles like, 'Hey, here's what happened, and there's going to be an ongoing investigation, and there's going to be 24/7 security for a few days.'"
Monziardini says more security and a permanent presence are what he wants to see.
"You never know if anything like that can happen here again," Monziardini said.
