An officer-involved shooting unfolded near the historic Santa Fe Depot train station in downtown San Diego on Tuesday evening, leading to a swift police response and an ongoing investigation.
The incident began at approximately 8:45pm on January 28, when San Diego police officers responded to a report of a battery at 600 W. Broadway. While investigating, officers heard gunshots fired around 8:51pm near the MTS American Plaza Trolley Station, prompting immediate action from local law enforcement.
By 8:53pm, police had reportedly detained a suspect near the depot, with additional units and Amtrak security personnel converging on the scene to assist. The area was quickly secured, with police implementing traffic control measures and closing nearby streets - including parts of Kettner, B Street, and Broadway - to both pedestrian and vehicle traffic to ensure safety and facilitate the investigation.
A detailed safety sweep of the entirety of the Santa Fe Depot was conducted to confirm that no stray bullets had penetrated the interior of the building. In the aftermath of the shooting, officers recovered a firearm from the scene and provided medical assistance to a detained suspect.
Emergency medical services were called to the scene, and by 9:03pm, personnel were actively administering CPR to a gunshot victim, indicating the severity of the situation. The search for shell casings near the depot continued, with reports of additional shots fired before the incident being investigated, suggesting a complex scenario involving multiple rounds. By 9:44pm, it was reported that the nature of the incident was an officer-involved shooting.
Following additional evidence, the initial incident expanded beyond the detained individual at the scene. Police actively pursued one additional suspect who reportedly fled after the shooting. Witness accounts and video footage obtained by officers indicate that two suspects, both carrying backpacks, split up immediately following the incident; one was seen heading north on Kettner Blvd, while the other went east on B Street.
Authorities have since confirmed that the person fatally shot during the incident was a 16-year-old boy of mixed race. The officer who fired his weapon has been identified as Daniel Gold, who has been with the San Diego Police Department for two years and is currently assigned to the Central Division Patrol.
During the encounter in the 1100 block of Kettner Boulevard, at least one shot was fired by Gold. A handgun was also taken from the teenager at the scene. The suspect, whose name has been withheld, was taken to a local hospital, where he later died from his injuries. The second suspect is believed to be injured and in police custody.
With one suspect still at large and considered armed and dangerous, all police units have been advised to remain on high alert. An update was issued at 10:04pm, urging vigilance among officers citywide due to the threat posed by the missing suspect.
The San Diego Police Department has not yet released detailed statements regarding the condition of the detained individual. Two people were taken to the hospital following the reported shooting. For now, the area around the Santa Fe Depot remains under heightened security with significant police presence.
The San Diego County Sheriff’s Office Homicide Unit is still investigating the circumstances around the shooting. Upon the completion of the investigation, the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office will determine whether the officers bear any criminal liability for their actions. Meanwhile, SDPD will conduct its own administrative investigation into Officer Gold’s discharge of his firearm.
To manage the flow of information, a media staging area has been set up near Broadway and Kettner, where officials are expected to provide further updates on the investigation. Meanwhile, officers are actively seeking witnesses, currently staging them at the intersection of Kettner and B Street to gather more details on the suspects' descriptions and escape routes.
Anyone with more information about the shooting is asked to call the Homicide Unit at 858.285.6330 or Crime Stoppers at 888.580.8477.
Updates will be provided as more information becomes available from the ongoing investigation.
The incident began at approximately 8:45pm on January 28, when San Diego police officers responded to a report of a battery at 600 W. Broadway. While investigating, officers heard gunshots fired around 8:51pm near the MTS American Plaza Trolley Station, prompting immediate action from local law enforcement.
By 8:53pm, police had reportedly detained a suspect near the depot, with additional units and Amtrak security personnel converging on the scene to assist. The area was quickly secured, with police implementing traffic control measures and closing nearby streets - including parts of Kettner, B Street, and Broadway - to both pedestrian and vehicle traffic to ensure safety and facilitate the investigation.
A detailed safety sweep of the entirety of the Santa Fe Depot was conducted to confirm that no stray bullets had penetrated the interior of the building. In the aftermath of the shooting, officers recovered a firearm from the scene and provided medical assistance to a detained suspect.
Emergency medical services were called to the scene, and by 9:03pm, personnel were actively administering CPR to a gunshot victim, indicating the severity of the situation. The search for shell casings near the depot continued, with reports of additional shots fired before the incident being investigated, suggesting a complex scenario involving multiple rounds. By 9:44pm, it was reported that the nature of the incident was an officer-involved shooting.
Following additional evidence, the initial incident expanded beyond the detained individual at the scene. Police actively pursued one additional suspect who reportedly fled after the shooting. Witness accounts and video footage obtained by officers indicate that two suspects, both carrying backpacks, split up immediately following the incident; one was seen heading north on Kettner Blvd, while the other went east on B Street.
Authorities have since confirmed that the person fatally shot during the incident was a 16-year-old boy of mixed race. The officer who fired his weapon has been identified as Daniel Gold, who has been with the San Diego Police Department for two years and is currently assigned to the Central Division Patrol.
During the encounter in the 1100 block of Kettner Boulevard, at least one shot was fired by Gold. A handgun was also taken from the teenager at the scene. The suspect, whose name has been withheld, was taken to a local hospital, where he later died from his injuries. The second suspect is believed to be injured and in police custody.
With one suspect still at large and considered armed and dangerous, all police units have been advised to remain on high alert. An update was issued at 10:04pm, urging vigilance among officers citywide due to the threat posed by the missing suspect.
The San Diego Police Department has not yet released detailed statements regarding the condition of the detained individual. Two people were taken to the hospital following the reported shooting. For now, the area around the Santa Fe Depot remains under heightened security with significant police presence.
The San Diego County Sheriff’s Office Homicide Unit is still investigating the circumstances around the shooting. Upon the completion of the investigation, the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office will determine whether the officers bear any criminal liability for their actions. Meanwhile, SDPD will conduct its own administrative investigation into Officer Gold’s discharge of his firearm.
To manage the flow of information, a media staging area has been set up near Broadway and Kettner, where officials are expected to provide further updates on the investigation. Meanwhile, officers are actively seeking witnesses, currently staging them at the intersection of Kettner and B Street to gather more details on the suspects' descriptions and escape routes.
Anyone with more information about the shooting is asked to call the Homicide Unit at 858.285.6330 or Crime Stoppers at 888.580.8477.
Updates will be provided as more information becomes available from the ongoing investigation.
Originally published on January 28. Updated on January 31.
