On Wednesday, May 3, at 6:30 p.m people of all faith backgrounds and beliefs are invited to attend a community prayer vigil for the victims of the La Jolla Crossroads shooting. Participants will pray for peace and healing for the victims of the shooting, their family and friends, and the community. For more information, contact Rev. Janine Schenone at 858-458-1501 or [email protected]. The church is located at 4321 Eastgate Mall. *** UPDATE 4:30 p.m.
Friends have released the name of the fatality as Monique Clark, a young mother of three. A GoFundMe campaign has been set up in her honor. For more information, visit www.gofundme.com/3q2xigo.
*** UPDATE 3 p.m.
Demetrius Griffin has set up a GoFundMe campaign for the victims’ medical bills. For more information, and to donate to the fund, visit www.gofundme.com/3q2z86o.
*** UPDATE 11:30 a.m.
During an 11 a.m. press conference regarding the mass shooting at La Jolla Crossroads apartment complex, SDPD chief Shelley Zimmerman updated the public regarding the ongoing investigation:
“On April 30 at 6:06 p.m., we received a call that two people were shot at 9045 Judicial Drive,” said Zimmerman. “Within the next 13 minutes, we received countless calls from residents who said they heard five to seven shots, neighbors yelling, and that someone was outside with a gun. We then made San Diego Fire Rescue aware.
“Twenty officers and the helicopter were dispatched. Selis then fired at two sergeants and other officers. The officers returned fire, and Selis was pronounced dead at the scene. Selis used a .45 caliber Sig Sauer, which was registered in his name. What started as a friend’s birthday party turned into a tragedy of epic proportions.
“Selis and his girlfriend recently broke up, and family and friends of the suspect said that he was distraught and depressed about the breakup. Selis is a La Jolla Crossroads resident. He called his ex-girlfriend and told her that he ‘had shot two people’ and continued firing until police arrived at the scene. We believe that he wanted his ex-girlfriend to listen to him carry out his rampage. “We believe that there is zero information to indicate that race played a factor in this terrible and horrific crime. He simply targeted his victims because they just happened to be there. While two victims are still in critical condition, they are stable and are expected to survive.
“Selis has no criminal history, and though distraught, his friends and family could not have predicted his behavior.”
***
The San Diego Police Department has identified 49-year-old Peter Raymond Selis as the shooter that killed one woman and left seven others injured at an apartment complex at 900 Judicial Drive in University City around 6 p.m. on Sunday, April 30.
Selis was sitting by the pool at the La Jolla Crossroads apartment complex when he opened fire on a group of people having a party nearby.
According to reports by Fox 5 San Diego, four women and three men were shot. The victims were identified only as four black women, two black men, and a Hispanic man. Their names were not immediately released. They were taken to three separate hospitals.
“There were eight victims that were transported and four of the victims were African-American females who were suffering from gunshot wounds that were taken to area hospitals, two African-American males were taken to an area hospital suffering from gunshot wounds, one Hispanic male suffering from a gunshot wound taken to an area hospital and then one African-American male fleeing the area broke his arm when he was fleeing the gunfire,” said San Diego police chief Shelley Zimmerman. A police helicopter crew was the first to respond and alerted officers on the ground that Selis was reloading his large caliber weapon. SDPD ground officers then moved in, exchanging fire with the suspect and killing him.
“The sergeant and two officers went to the pool area, confronted the suspect who was still armed and an officer-involved shooting took place,” said Zimmerman. “The suspect was shot by the officers and the suspect is deceased at the scene.”
It has also been reported that Selis was a resident of the apartment complex, but a motive, if any, is yet to be determined by law enforcement officials.
Councilmember Barbara Bry issued her condolences in a May 1 press release as well:
“As a mother and a grandmother, I cannot think of anything more devastating than losing a loved one to senseless gun violence. I offer my deepest condolences to the family of the victim who passed away as a result of yesterday’s shooting at La Jolla Crossroads. I am sending thoughts and prayers to the other victims currently receiving medical care.
“Thank you to the San Diego Police Department for braving gunfire to prevent additional casualties and also to the dedicated emergency responders and medical personnel who worked diligently throughout the night to care for the wounded.
“Public safety is the number one responsibility of local government, and as a Councilmember and chair of the Budget Committee, I will work with my colleagues to ensure that our public safety personnel has the resources it needs to keep our community safe.
“I am still in shock that a shooting of this magnitude happened right here in San Diego, and there are many unanswered questions. The SDPD is continuing its thorough investigation, and my office is here as a resource to them and to the constituents of my district as we grapple with this tragedy.”
According to an article on Heavy.com, Selis filed Chapter 13 bankruptcy in 2015 as a joint debtor with his former spouse, Patricia Martinez. The filing listed assets of $14,100 and liabilities of $108,028.
“The bankruptcy filing said Peter Selis worked as a ‘car mechanic’ for Mossy Ford, Inc. in San Diego and had been employed there for five years,” it read. “The 2015 filing said he had, at that time, a 12-year-old daughter, 16-year-old son, and 19-year-old stepson. He earned $74,676 a year in 2014 from Mossy Ford.”
He also filed bankruptcy in 2009 and is listed as unmarried during that time.