SAN DIEGO -- The discovery Friday of a homicide victim in a Sherman Heights apartment led investigators to a College-area home, where a suspect was fatally wounded when he and a police officer opened fire.

It was not immediately clear if the suspect, 58-year-old Miguel Gonzalez, shot himself, was struck by the officer's gunfire, or both, according to the San Diego Police Department.

The slaying that led to the officer-involved shooting came to light shortly before 7 a.m., when patrol personnel conducting a welfare check found 85-year-old Sergio Munoz dead inside his residence in the 600 block of 25th Street, SDPD Lt. Terry McManus said.

"It appears that he suffered from a substantial attack inside the apartment," McManus told reporters. "I'm not in a position to discuss -- nor do I have much information related to -- the weapon or weapons used."

According to his family, the victim had received death threats from Gonzalez, his former son-in-law, who was known to have access to a handgun, the lieutenant said.

Upon receiving that information, police went to Gonzalez's home in the 4500 block of 55th Street, where they arrived to find him sitting on his front porch, according to McManus.

"When the suspect saw uniformed officers, he quickly reached between his legs and turned towards (them)," McManus said. "This movement was immediately followed by the sound of a single gunshot."

One of the officers responded by opening fire, and Gonzalez wheeled around and fell into the home through the front door. He died at the scene.

"At this point in the investigation, it is not known whether Gonzalez died as a result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound or as a result of the (police gunfire)," the homicide lieutenant said.

The suspect's autopsy is scheduled for Saturday.

The officer who fired his gun is a two-year veteran of the department. His name was not immediately released.