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Homicide investigation underway after man shot, killed outside La Mesa gas station

Homicide investigation continues at a La Mesa gas station.png
Posted at 3:38 PM, Aug 12, 2022
and last updated 2022-08-12 21:21:17-04

LA MESA, Calif. (KGTV) — A La Mesa man is dead after an altercation turned into gunshots at a Speedway gas station. Police are still trying to understand the motive.

"I thought it was maybe just a loud bang and I didn't think they were gunshots," shares Erionna Webster.

Webster has worked at the Speedway gas station off University Avenue and Parks Avenue for two years. She says she has never seen anything like this.

"Everything's always been normal nothing," she says. "People just get their gas and go this is the first time I've ever seen anything violent like we never have any fights either so this is the first time ever."

RELATED: Shooting in La Mesa leaves 1 dead

At around 9:40 a.m. Friday police arrived to find a 44-year-old man suffering from gunshot wounds on the sidewalk.

"I wasn't too scared because I was inside but I'm pretty sure the people outside were more scared than I was," shares Webster.

La Mesa PD believe the victim was by his car when the two got into a verbal argument. They then moved to the sidewalk and began fighting. Moments later, the suspect took out a handgun and shot the victim.

Cellphone video from a witness,shows he gunman's dark-colored SUV heading west on University Avenue shortly after the shooting.

"All I heard was the shots and heard people driving away and then I heard somebody got shot and I just saw the guy over there laying on the floor," explains Webster.

The suspect is described as a Black male adult in his early to mid-30s. He was wearing a dark shirt and blue jeans and was seen with a heavy-set Hispanic female.

Police believe the incident was not random, but have yet to determine what the relationship was between the suspect and the victim.