One woman was killed and seven people were wounded, several critically, when a man opened fire Sunday at a San Diego apartment complex swimming pool where a number of adults were attending a birthday party.
Police rushed to the apartment building in the University City area and fatally shot the man after he pointed his gun at officers, San Diego Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman said.
Authorities received several calls just after 6 p.m. about the shooting at the La Jolla Crossroads apartments, an upscale complex in the 9000 block of Judicial Drive.
Update: Gunman in San Diego apartment complex shooting was a car mechanic who had filed for bankruptcy>>
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Walking to their press conference, victims who were at the shooting during a birthday party celebration last Sunday at the La Jolla Crossroads apartments, called for a press conference to speak with the news reporters.
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Lauren Chapman who was at the birthday party celebration last Sunday at the La Jolla Crossroads apartment in University City, believes that Sunday’s shooting was a hate crime. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune)
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Many of those who were at the last Sunday’s shooting at the La Jolla Crossroads apartment in University City stood holding hands as they answered questions from news reporters. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune)
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Mychael Gary who was at the birthday celebration was the first to speak with new reporters about last Sunday’s shooting at the La Jolla Crossroads apartment in University City. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune)
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Haley Thames answers question from the news reporters about the last Sunday’s shooting at the La Jolla Crossroads apartment in University City. L-R, Mychael Gary, Haley Thames and Allison Latta.
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SAN DIEGO, CA - MAY 2, 2017 - A view of the corner of the pool area at the La Jolla Crossroads apartments in University City where Peter Selis, 49, opened fire on a birthday party on Sunday. (Photo by K.C. Alfred/The San Diego Union-Tribune) (K.C. Alfred / San Diego Union-Tribune)
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SAN DIEGO, CA - MAY 2, 2017 - Bullet holes are patched up in the pool area near where Peter Selis was sitting at the La Jolla Crossroads apartments in University City Sunday. Selig was shot and killed by police after he shot party goers at the pool. (Photo by K.C. Alfred/The San Diego Union-Tribune) (K.C. Alfred / San Diego Union-Tribune)
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SAN DIEGO, CA - MAY 2, 2017 - Bullet holes are patched up in the pool area near where Peter Selis was sitting at the La Jolla Crossroads apartments in University City Sunday. Selig was shot and killed by police after he shot party goers at the pool. (Photo by K.C. Alfred/The San Diego Union-Tribune) (K.C. Alfred / San Diego Union-Tribune)
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The pool area at the La Jolla Crossroads apartments in University City was the scene of a shooting on Sunday evening. Peter Selis, 49, who was seated in the lower left, opened fire on a group having a birthday party at the lower right. Seven adults were shot, one fatally. (K.C. Alfred / San Diego Union-Tribune)
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The pool area at the La Jolla Crossroads apartments in University City was the scene of a shooting on Sunday evening. Peter Selis, 49, who was seated in the lower left, opened fire on a group having a birthday party at the lower right. Seven adults were shot, one fatally. (K.C. Alfred / San Diego Union-Tribune)
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Remnants of a birthday party in the pool area at the La Jolla Crossroads apartments shows the chaotic scene after a shooting took place on Sunday. Peter Selis, 49, open fired on the party at the crowded pool. Seven people were wounded. (K.C. Alfred / San Diego Union-Tribune)
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Crews clean up blood on the ground at the La Jolla Crossroads apartments in University City where a mass shooting took placeSunday evening. Peter Selis, 49, shot seven people in the pool area. (K.C. Alfred / San Diego Union-Tribune)
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Remnants of a birthday party in the pool area at the La Jolla Crossroads apartments in University City shows the chaotic scene after a shooting took place Sunday evening. Peter Selis, 49, open fired on the party at the crowded pool. Seven people were wounded. (K.C. Alfred / San Diego Union-Tribune)
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Blood covers the ground near where Peter Selis, 49, sat and open fired on a birthday party at the La Jolla Crossroads apartments in University City Sunday evening. Seven people were wounded. Selis was shot and killed by police. (K.C. Alfred / San Diego Union-Tribune)
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Remnants of a birthday party in the pool area at the La Jolla Crossroads apartments shows the chaotic scene after a shooting took place on Sunday. Peter Selis, 49, open fired on the party at the crowded pool. Seven people were wounded. (K.C. Alfred / San Diego Union-Tribune)
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Remnants of a birthday party in the pool area at the La Jolla Crossroads apartments in University City shows the chaotic scene after a shooting took place Sunday evening. Peter Selis, 49, open fired on the party at the crowded pool. Seven people were wounded. (K.C. Alfred / San Diego Union-Tribune)
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People’s belongings remain at the pool area at the La Jolla Crossroads apartments in University City after a shooting took place Sunday evening. Peter Selis, 49, open fired on the party at the crowded pool. Seven people were wounded. (K.C. Alfred / San Diego Union-Tribune)
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Remnants of a birthday party in the pool area at the La Jolla Crossroads apartments shows the chaotic scene after a shooting took place on Sunday. Peter Selis, 49, open fired on the party at the crowded pool. Seven people were wounded. (K.C. Alfred / San Diego Union-Tribune)
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Blood covers the ground near where Peter Selis, 49, sat and open fired on a birthday party at the La Jolla Crossroads apartments in University City Sunday evening. Seven people were wounded. Selis was shot and killed by police. (K.C. Alfred / San Diego Union-Tribune)
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Peter Selis, 49, sat in this area and open fired on a birthday party at the La Jolla Crossroads apartments in University City Sunday evening. Seven people were wounded. Selis was shot and killed by police. (K.C. Alfred / San Diego Union-Tribune)
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Crews clean up blood on the ground at the La Jolla Crossroads apartments in University City where a mass shooting took placeSunday evening. Peter Selis, 49, shot seven people in the pool area. (K.C. Alfred / San Diego Union-Tribune)
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At the La Jolla Crossroads Apartments in La Jolla, SDPD Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman along with San Diego Mayor, Kevin Faulconer brief news reportrs on a gunman shooting 7 victims at the complex.
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A group of men who witnessed the shooter in La Jolla after reports of a gunman shooting 7 victims at La Jolla Crossroads Apartment complex.
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Drew Phillips witnessed the shooter reloading at an apartment complex in University City where the shooter eventually shot 7 victims in the swimming pool area.
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A crowd gathers at the corner of Golden Haven Drive and Judicial in University City after reports of a gunman shooting 7 victims at the La Jolla Crossroads Apartment complex.
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A unidentified woman is taken away by ambulance near the area in La Jolla where a gunman is reported to have shot 7 victims at a complex in University City.
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SDPD Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman briefs news reporters at the corner of Golden Haven Drive and Judicial in University City after reports of a gunman shooting 7 victims at the La Jolla Crossroads Apartment complex.
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A SDPD officers position t hemselves near the area in La Jolla where a gunman is reported to have shot 7 victims at a complex in University City.
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A SDPD officer stops to question a couple near the area in La Jolla where a gunman is reported to have shot 7 victims at a complex in University City.
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A unidentified woman is taken away by ambulance near the area in La Jolla where a gunman is reported to have shot 7 victims at a complex in University City.
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A group of men who witnessed the shooter in La Jolla after reports of a gunman shooting 7 victims at a complex in University City.
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SDPD police officers tape off the corner of Golden Haven Drive and Judicial in La Jolla after reports of a gunman shooting 7 victims at a complex in University City.
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SDPD Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman arrives at the corner of Golden Haven Drive and Judicial in La Jolla after reports of a gunman shooting 7 victims at a complex in University City.
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SDPD Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman arrives at the corner of Golden Haven Drive and Judicial in University City after reports of a gunman shooting 7 victims A group of men who witnessed the shooter in La Jolla after reports of a gunman shooting 7 victims at the La Jolla Crossroads Apartment complex.
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A crowd gathers at the corner of Golden Haven Drive and Judicial in La Jolla after reports of a gunman shooting 7 victims at a complex in University City.
(Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) The reports were grim: A white man wearing brown shorts was armed with a gun and shooting at what two witnesses described as approximately 30 people around the pool, most of them African American.
A police helicopter reached the area first and, from above, authorities could see a shooter near the pool who appeared to be reloading his weapon, Zimmerman said.
Three police officers arrived and went to the pool area. There, the gunman pointed what authorities described as a large caliber handgun at police, and all three officers opened fire. The gunman, identified as Peter Selis, 49, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Seven people, all adults, were hit by gunfire: four black women, two black men and a Latino man. A woman later died at the hospital. Her name was not released. A man broke his arm while fleeing the shooting, Zimmerman said.
It was unclear what motivated the shooting and police were still interviewing witnesses, including the responding officers. Zimmerman said the gunman and at least one of the partygoers lived at the apartment complex.
A resident at the complex told KFMB-TV, the CBS affiliate in San Diego, that he was in his apartment about 6 p.m. when he heard gunshots followed by yelling and screams. He said he ran to his building’s clubhouse, where he could see the pool.
The shooter seemed at ease, he said, while bloodied victims struggled.
“He had his beer in one hand and his gun in the other,†said the witness, who provided only his first name, John, to the news station. “There were two victims lying on the ground, one trying to crawl toward the other one to help.â€
Police said the eight victims were taken to the hospital. Witnesses said the group appeared to be celebrating a birthday party in the pool area.
Amberjot Riat, 22, and Kaela Wong, 20, were in the jacuzzi at the apartment complex when the gunfire erupted. Riat said they stayed in the water in hopes of avoiding the shooter’s attention.
After leaving the jacuzzi, they said, they moved to a wall and heard the gunman speak to young women who were tending to a wounded friend. “You can either leave or you can stay here and die,†he reportedly told them.
Police were unsure if Selis knew any of the victims.
Records show Selis filed for bankruptcy in 2015. He listed his occupation as car mechanic for a San Diego Ford dealership and said he had two children and a stepson, according to a petition filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court’s Southern District of California.
A photo of “Pete†Selis on the dealership’s website shows a heavy man with receding black hair smiling at the camera.
Police set up a “reunification center†near Judicial and Golden Haven drives for loved ones seeking information about family and friends.
San Diego Union-Tribune staff writers Karen Kucher, Lyndsay Winkley and Teri Figueroa contributed to this report.
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Twitter: @MattHjourno
UPDATES:
11:35 p.m.: This article was updated with background on the gunman from court papers.
10:55 p.m.: This article was updated with the identity of the shooter and confirmation that one victim has died.
9:45 p.m.: This article was updated with comments from witnesses Amberjot Riat and Kaela Wong.
8:50 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details about the victims and the shooting.
This article was originally published at 7:05 p.m.
