A 19-year-old man was killed in a shooting Sunday during a violent night in San Bernardino that left three other shooting victims injured.
It was the city's 19th homicide of the year, an increase of 46 percent from 13 at this time last year.
The fatal shooting, one of three late Sunday in the area, occurred in the 2000 block of North D Street. The victim, identified as Jose Enrique Ortiz, was found dead in the street after police responded to 911 calls about gunfire.
A detailed description of the attacker and a vehicle seen at the crime scene were not available. Witnesses reported gunfire coming from a vehicle, the driver of which circled back after the first rounds were fired.
"So he shot him once, noticed he didn't kill him, so he came back and made sure he killed him," a young woman who heard the shooting said she was told by a witness.
Family members and other mourners visited the site throughout the day, bringing candles and flowers.
"It was really wrong the way they shot him and left him there," said Alicia Pasillas, Ortiz's aunt and foster mother. She said he had left their home only 20 minutes earlier to walk to the neighborhood liquor store to buy a beer to go with his dinner.
Pasillas said that he was not involved with gangs, but that she learned from others in the neighborhood that the shooting may have stemmed from a love triangle dispute.
His life had already been scarred by violence. A decade ago, his mother was shot to death, said Pasillas.
A second shooting behind an apartment complex in the 700 block of North H Street left two people hospitalized. Details regarding their conditions were not immediately available.
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A third shooting occurred in a park in the 300 block of South K Street, where a man suffered a gunshot wound to the leg. The injury is not considered life-threatening.
No arrests were reported Monday morning. Authorities said they have no evidence that indicates the shootings are connected.
As the homicide rate has risen this year, the department has looked at a number of factors and responses, including strategies to suppress gang crime. Chief Jarrod Burguan has also pointed to undoing cutbacks instituted in response to budgetary constraints in a city that entered bankruptcy.
Compared to 2008, the department has 30 percent fewer officers. Budget authorization is now in place to augment staffing. However, the city has faced challenges recruiting additional qualified candidates, said Eileen Hards, community engagement officer.
Anyone with information about the shooting was asked to call 909-384-5655 or 909-384-5615.
To help cover the cost of funeral expenses, the family has established a GoFundMe account. Fundraising car washes were scheduled for 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday in the block of "D" Street where the fatal shooting occurred.
