Clairemont resident Connor Baldassi died on a Pacific Beach sidewalk in the morning of Sept. 21 after he broke into a nearby house on Emerald Street near Bayard Street and was stabbed, according to police investigators. “After breaking into the residence and making a demand, there was a fight between Connor and the people inside that residence and he ended up getting stabbed during that fight,” said Lt. Kevin Rooney of the San Diego Police Department’s Homicide Unit. “He ended up running outside, where he collapsed and later died.” After Baldassi ran outside the house and around the corner, he called a friend. Baldassi’s friend arrived at the scene and immediately called 9-1-1. “We received a call at 5:52 a.m. and paramedics arrived shortly thereafter. He died at 6:03 a.m.,” Rooney said. Neither Baldassi nor the residents called 9-1-1 immediately after the break-in, and it is unclear whether he could have been saved if the emergency number had been called sooner. Investigators said there were three people inside the residence — two men and one woman. It was later revealed that the woman knew Baldassi, who was masked and carrying a replica handgun during the home invasion. “They knew each other since childhood,” Rooney said. Marijuana plants were found at the residence but Rooney does not expect police to file charges related to them because the residents had the proper documentation to possess those plants. Rooney said the case is still open but there are no charges pending at this time. “I don’t put deadlines on our cases,” Rooney said. “When it’s done to the extent that it can be — and in this case, it doesn’t appear like there’s any additional evidence or people to talk to — then we’ll draw a conclusion on it.” Additional details about who actually stabbed Baldassi and what kind of weapon was used will not be released while the investigation is ongoing, Rooney said. Neighbors in the 800 block of Emerald Street said they were surprised to find the area cordoned off by police tape when they awoke to the grim scene. Police officers secured the area while forensic technicians collected evidence. “My roommate came and woke me up and told me someone had been stabbed right outside, and I was pretty damn surprised that something like this would happen down here,” said Vince Vanderluis, who lives across the street from where Baldassi collapsed and died. “It’s usually just drunk people stumbling around doing stupid stuff, but this is actually something serious, so I was surprised.” The crime took place just a couple of blocks from the beach in a normally-safe neighborhood. A nearby store owner said it was the first time he had seen anything like it in the 24 years he’s been running his business.
