SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - At least two people were injured early Saturday morning when someone fired pellet gun rounds at patrons outside the SRO Lounge in Bankers Hill.
Around 1 a.m., bartender Pedro Lomeli was working behind the bar when he heard the shots.
"Loud plops. Pop, pop, pop,” Lomeli said. "I heard that and saw everyone scramble outside."
Lomeli ran outside, where 10 to 15 patrons had been hanging out. He immediately saw the aftermath of the attack.
"First thing I see when I run outside is this girl holding her hand, and she's bleeding a lot," Lomeli said.
Lomeli took a photo after helping her with the wound. The victim, whom Lomeli said is a military veteran, was visibly upset by the incident.
"I know she's a vet. She said she hasn't felt like this since she was overseas. She was shaken," Lomeli said.
A second victim went back into the bar after being hit.
"Inside, she took her hand off, and she had a big welt on her shoulder," Lomeli said.
After speaking with witnesses, Lomeli determined where the shots came from and believes about 5 to 10 BBs were fired before an older model, black Ford F-150 truck was seen speeding away from the scene.
San Diego Police say a second incident occurred overnight in the 1000 block of University Avenue in Hillcrest.
At the SRO Lounge, Lomeli said both victims were members of the transgender community. He believes the attack was motivated by hate.
"I think it's hate. It’s unfortunate, as we are just regular people going about their lives. It's just really sad," Lomeli said.
The shooting comes more than a year after a string of pellet gun attacks, mostly targeting LGBT bars in Hillcrest. Four 19-year-old men pleaded guilty to assault charges in connection with those incidents.
Several shootings from that period remain unsolved, including a May incident in which Eddie Reynoso was shot in the eye. Reynoso worries more attacks could be coming.
"Frustration that this is happening again. It's not a prank. This is a targeted attack on the LGBT community," Reynoso said.
Police say they are investigating whether there are any connections to the previous shootings.
Back at the SRO Lounge, the sense of security has been shattered.
"This supposed to be a safe place," Lomeli said. “That's why it hurts. It takes away from the peace from our patrons."
San Diego Police issued the following statement:
"The San Diego Police Department takes any acts of violence seriously. SDPD was made aware later this morning of two incidents that occurred overnight in the 1000 block of University Ave. and the 1800 block of 5th Ave. involving a vehicle firing BB-type projectiles at pedestrians. The individuals hit only received minor injuries. At this time, SDPD has limited details and is working to gather more information. We urge any witnesses or victims that may know something to please contact us at (619) 531-2000."
"This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy."
