Authorities continued Friday evening to investigate a shooting earlier in the morning in La Mesa that left one individual dead and a suspect on the run.

According to the La Mesa Police Department, they received multiple calls around 9:40 a.m. of a shooting that took place in front of the Speedway Express gas station at the intersection of University Avenue and Parks Avenue,

Officers located the victim on the sidewalk in front of the gas station and immediately began rendering aid. The victim, a 44-year-old male from La Mesa, was transported to Sharp Memorial Hospital, but was pronounced deceased.

Initial information gathered by investigators has revealed that the victim and suspect were involved in a verbal altercation that turned into a physical fight. The suspect then shot the victim several times before fleeing the scene in a dark colored smaller SUV or similar style vehicle, westbound on University Avenue.

The suspect is described as a Black male adult in his early to mid-30s. He was wearing a dark shirt and blue jeans and was accompanied by a heavy-set Hispanic female. The relationship between the suspect and the victim is unknown, but investigators do not believe this was a random act of violence.

Vehicle and pedestrian traffic for westbound University Avenue from Parks Avenue was closed for several hours while detectives from the La Mesa Police Department’s Investigation Unit conducted their investigation at the scene, but has since been reopened.

Authorities are asking that anyone who was in the area at the time of this incident or anyone who has any information on this case, call the La Mesa Police Department at (619) 667-1400. You may also call Crime Stoppers’ anonymous toll-free tip line (888) 580-TIPS (or sdcrimestoppers.com).

You can remain anonymous, and be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to an arrest in this case.

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