A teenager accused of shooting and killing his father in his Scripps Ranch condo is considered a danger to the community and must remain in custody, a juvenile court judge ordered Thursday.
The 15-year-old's mother, siblings, grandparents and cousins were all present at the detention hearing, which lasted just a few minutes.
Prosecutor Mary Loeb said they are pursuing murder charges against the boy, a sophomore at Mira Mesa High School.
The teen was detained Monday after his older brother called 911 to report he had shot his father at a condo complex near the intersection of Scripps Ranch Boulevard and Affinity Court just after 8:40 p.m., San Diego Police Department Lt. Anthony Dupree said.
He could not be found for about four hours before a citizen called to report he had been spotted on Scripps Poway Parkway near Interstate 15, SDPD said.
Police searched through the teen's bag and found a handgun. Investigators said they are unsure where or how the teenager acquired the gun.
The teenager was taken into custody less than two miles where the shooting had occurred.
Inside the condo police found a man, identified as 46-year-old Thanh Pham with at least one gunshot wound to his upper body, police said. Pham later died from his injuries.
It was unclear what led up to the shooting. Homicide detectives were at the scene late into the night to conduct an investigation.
The day after the shooting, Mira Mesa High School Principal Jeff Sabins sent a letter to parents saying the school's first priority is a safe and secure learning environment for students.
"This is an active investigation so I cannot share any details at this time. We have additional counselors on site to assist students and staff, as needed. We will continue to monitor and support our students here at school," Sabins said.
The teen is scheduled to be back in court on May 18.
