San Diego Police are investigating a string of incidents targeting some of Hillcrest’s most popular gay bars as a possible hate crime.
Drive-by shooters armed with pellet guns fired at people enjoying a night out in the early morning hours last Saturday. According to police, the suspects were traveling in a vehicle described as a new black sedan. Gel pellets are believed to have been used to injure several people on the sidewalk.
“To me, it looked like an AK-47," said Eddie Reynoso, who was welcoming VIP guests outside Rich's San Diego on University Avenue just before 1 a.m.
“My reaction was to try to hide, but it was already too late by then. I heard the pop, pop, pop."
Before he collapsed on the sidewalk, Reynoso said he saw the black sedan with someone in the backseat pointing a gun. He said, loud laughter from the car and some expletives caught his attention before he was shot in his right eye.
Just a short time before that, a surveillance camera caught what police believe was the same car rushing past another gay bar nearby called The Rail. An employee checking IDs at the door was shot there, too.
Pellets were also shot outside Number 1 5th Avenue and later, PEC’s bar about a mile away. All are establishments that have been popular for decades with the LGBTQ+ community.
Reynoso is the publisher of the LGBTQ San Diego County San Diego County newspaper and the founder and executive director of the Equality Business Alliance, which serves the community as a chamber of commerce.
He said, “I spoke with (San Diego Police) Chief David Nisleit and incoming Chief Scott Wahl. They both assured me that every available resource the department has is working on this case."
Following the incident, SDPD’s Western Division added additional patrol to the Hillcrest area, which will continue for the coming days. This investigation is ongoing, and anyone with information is asked to call SDPD’s nonemergency line at 619-531-2000.
