Victim shot by phony sellers after answering ad on Craigslist

May 12, 2011 (San Diego) - San Diego Police Department homicide detectives are investigating the murder of a teenager who was attempting to purchase an item offered for sale on Craiglist.com.

Last night, at 10:30 p.m., officers responded to a report of vehicles driving quickly and the sound of a gunshot in the area of Artemia Way and Parkside Avenue. They found an 18-year-old man slumped behind the wheel of his vehicle, suffering from a gunshot wound.

Officers learned that the teen and his girlfriend had gone to the 2800 block of Casey Street to complete the purchase of an item offered for sale on Craigslist, an online classified advertising site that has been implicated in the past in multiple murder cases, some involving sales of illicit items.  In this ase, however, homocide Lt. Kevin Rooney told East County Magazine, "The item for sale was perfectly legitimate."

Three black males, pretending to be the sellers, robbed the victims of cash and cell phones.

When the suspects left the area in a green Honda Accord, the victims followed in an attempt to capture the suspects’ license plate. The suspect vehicle drove north in the 3000 block of Artemia Way, which is a cul-de-sac. The suspects went to the end of the cul-de-sac, turned around, and headed south towards the victims. As the vehicles were next to each other, one of the suspects fired a shot, striking the victim.

The suspects fled but ended up in the 3000 block of Fleming Way, which is also a cul-de-sac. The suspects crashed at the end of the street and abandoned their vehicle. With the assistance of the Air Support (ABLE) and Canine Units, all three suspects were caught approximately one block from the crash location.

The victim was transported to a trauma center, where he died at 11:13 p.m. The victim has been positively identified, but his name will not be released until family members are notified.

The suspects, who are all 17 years of age, were arrested for robbery and murder and will be booked into Juvenile Hall.