One Man, a Youth Shot to Death Within Hour in Unrelated Incidents

San Diego police are investigating two apparently unrelated shooting deaths late Friday in San Ysidro.

In the first, an unidentified 18-year-old man was shot once in the chest during a gunfight with a 25-year-old National City man. The shooting took place about 11 p.m. in the 700 block of San Ysidro Boulevard, Police Lt. Tom Orden said.

Witnesses told detectives that the two men were arguing when one drew a pistol and shot the other, Orden said. The men continued to struggle, the gun changed hands, and the wounded man then shot the other, Orden said.

Both were taken to UC San Diego Medical Center where the younger man was pronounced dead shortly before midnight, Orden said. The older man, identified as Edgar Zubiri of National City, was treated at at the center for a wound to the buttocks, said nursing supervisor Jane Swett. He was released into police custody Saturday, Swett said.

Police were questioning Zubiri late Saturday in connection with the shooting. No arrest had been made.

Less than an hour after the first incident, a 15-year-old San Ysidro youth was shot to death in a friend’s apartment.

Jose Alexandro Pastor Gutierrez, who lived a short distance from the shooting scene in the 2000 block of Alaquintas Drive, was struck once in the chest, said Bill Leard, a county medical examiner’s investigator. He was pronounced dead at the scene, Leard said.

Shortly after noon Saturday, a 15-year-old San Diego youth was arrested in connection with the shooting.

The youth’s identity was withheld due to his age.

Witnesses told detectives that the two youths were among a group of acquaintances who were passing around the pistol used in the shooting.

As the gun was given to the suspect, he leveled it at Gutierrez, made a threatening statement, and fired once, a police spokesman said. The gun had been stolen during a burglary unrelated to the shooting, the spokesman said.

Investigators were confused originally by false statements by witnesses who were trying to protect the youth, the spokesman said. The youth was arrested on suspicion of murder and for an earlier arrest warrant for escaping from a juvenile detention center, police said.