One dead in mass shooting following San Diego Juneteenth dispute

A shooting occurred at a Juneteenth event in San Diego at Liberty Station on Saturday, leaving one dead and another injured, according to police. 

San Diego Police Lt. Adam Sharki said during a press brief that the shooting "appeared to be an isolated incident resulting from a dispute here at the event with one person injured and one person, unfortunately, deceased," Los Angeles Times reports.



Officers responded to the scene around 6:45 pm after receiving reports of multiple gunshots at a park off Cushing Road, where hundreds of people were gathered for a concert to celebrate the city's annual Juneteenth events. 

Liberty Station is a busy entertainment and shopping district in the area.

A suspect has not yet been identified and Lt. Sharki said police investigators are speaking to several witnesses. They also asked the public to submit tips that could help possibly lead to an arrest.
 

"We know there were a lot of people at this event, a lot of people at the park," Sharki said. "We know people saw something, whether that was a car, a license plate, what led up to this."

A vendor named Bethany Harris, 61, who was within inches of the shooting, told Los Angeles Times that she heard gunshots and turned around to see "people were running with their kids."

Harris said that she approached the victim to provide CPR but someone was already performing it when she got there.

"It overwhelmed me and I just kind of broke down," she told the Times.

Terell Online, a 34-year-old musician, told the paper that he was on his way to the parking lot to leave the event when he heard the gunshots ring out.

"Everybody started running," he said. "It's supposed to be a day of peace and happiness."

In response to the increase in crime, he added, "I can't say I'm shocked."

Police are asking anyone with information to call the San Diego Police Department or Crime Stoppers anonymously at (888) 580-8477.

The shooting in San Diego follows a weekend of violence during Juneteenth celebrations across the United States. In Willowbrook, Illinois, near Chicago, one person was killed and at least 28 were injured in a mass shooting at a Juneteenth celebration. A 15-year-old was shot in the chest at a Juneteenth parade in Akron, Ohio, while in Asheville, North Carolina, two people were shot during a Juneteenth celebration on Saturday.