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Shooting near San Diego Central Library leaves 1 dead, 1 injured; gunman at large

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San Diego Central Library Shooting 2
San Diego Central Library Shooting 1
Posted at 12:56 PM, May 23, 2023
and last updated 2023-05-24 10:39:37-04

SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - San Diego Police launched a search for a gunman after a person was fatally shot and another was injured in front of the San Diego Central Library Tuesday afternoon.

According to the San Diego Police Department, officers received a call around 12:15 p.m. about shots being fired in the 300 block of Park Boulevard.

"I was taking my dog out for a walk and just on the other side on ... I think that one's K Street; I heard the five shots,” said Victoria Russell, who lives in the East Village.

East Village resident Jordan Williams added, "My bedroom window's facing right there, so I heard the gun shots and I saw the shooter shooting down the street.”

SDPD officials update from late Tuesday afternoon:

Once officers arrived at the scene, they found two Black men, ages 20 and 24, suffering from gunshot wounds.

Officers tried to use life-saving measures to treat the 20-year-old man, but he ultimately died at the scene. The 24-year-old man was taken to a local hospital and he is expected to survive his injuries, police said.

East Village resident Justin Mickelson added, "I saw paramedics and the police come rushing up and started doing CPR for like 5 to 8 minutes before they stopped doing CPR on him."

SDPD investigators said they believe an argument took place between a man and the two victims, and it was during the altercation that the man pulled out a gun and opened fire.

The suspected gunman was wearing a pink ski mask, but he took it off as he ran away, police stated. A detailed description of the suspected shooter was not immediately available.

When it comes to crime in this area, some told ABC 10News they haven't seen too much of an increase.

"I know the owners down the street have noticed an uptick in just street crime, in terms of rocks being thrown at their windows. But overall, not a big increase in overall crime I’ve noticed,” Russell said.

Dominic Li Mandri, district manager of the East Village Association, said there hasn't been an overall increase in crime, rather there are some high-profile crimes that have happened.

"What we don't want is this to define the narrative of East Village. East Village is downtown's premiere destination neighborhood, And we think it has a lot of qualities that will make it successful,” Li Mandri told ABC 10News.

Some feel they'll continue stay vigilant following this troubling tragedy.

"I don't think that this will how I go around doing my normal day-to-day activities moving forward. But I think anywhere it's good to keep aware of your surroundings,” Russell said.

"I take my dog out. We walk around the neighborhood three to four times a day, in the middle of the night sometimes, and I've never felt unsafe. So, this was quite a shocking thing to see,” Williams said.

Police said the motive behind the deadly shooting is still unknown.