Man shot by authorities in Point Loma operation A 44-year-old man was reportedly shot and wounded by police and the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force during an operation in Point Loma on Dec. 30.
The shooting reportedly happened shortly after 8:30 a.m. as the Marshals Service and San Diego Police Department moved in during a joint operation in the 1600 block of Catalina Street to arrest Joseph Hill, suspected in the shooting death of another man in Linda Vista the previous day. Task force officers reportedly saw Hill leave a residence on Catalina Boulevard and get into a vehicle. When officers attempted to arrest him, Hill started the vehicle and attempted to drive away. As Hill drove away, he struck an officer and pinned him against a parked vehicle, according to police officials.
Fearing the pinned officer would suffer great bodily injury or death, several officers fired their duty weapons. Hill continued driving north on Catalina Boulevard, where he reportedly struck another vehicle in traffic, lost control of his vehicle and crashed into the front yard of a nearby residence. Officers were able to take Hill into custody, said police. Hill suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was rushed by paramedics to UCSD Medical Center, where he was listed in critical but stable condition.
The officer who was pinned against the parked vehicle was also transported to a local hospital for treatment of minor injuries, according to investigators. Local faces sentencing in murder of homeless man Shane Brian Grattan, 57, of Pacific Beach, will be sentenced Jan. 17 for first-degree murder in the 2012 death of a homeless man whose body was found in Point Loma.
Grattan was convicted Nov. 6 by a jury in the Jan. 19, 2012 death of Darrin Joseph, 45, whose body was found in some bushes at 4960 North Harbor Drive. Joseph’s abandoned wheelchair was found not far away.
Grattan’s sentencing was delayed on Dec. 9 by San Diego Superior Court Judge Amalia Meza to give Grattan’s attorney time to file more court documents. Grattan is expected to get 25 years to life in prison.¸
Joseph’s blood and DNA was found throughout Grattan’s van, despite attempts by Grattan to clean it. Grattan’s attorney argued that Joseph had stayed temporarily with Grattan and pointed to this as the reason why Grattan’s DNA was found at the scene. Grattan did not testify and his attorney argued the slaying was committed by someone else. Grattan was living in his van at the time. He remains in custody without bail.
— Neal Putnam Police probe shooting, robbery try of brothers Two brothers were reportedly approached by three or four suspects who tried to rob them in Point Loma Heights on Dec. 23 around 3:30 p.m., according to police officials. A struggle ensued between the two parties and one of the suspects reportedly shot one of the brothers, a 34-year-old, in the lower stomach, said investigators. The suspects then fled in a vehicle located on Poinsettia Drive. Two of the suspects were eventually arrested in the 3500 block of Browning Street. Although investigators have identified the remaining suspects who are at large, no identities have yet been publicly released. The shooting victim is expected to survive his injury, according to police. Anyone with information about the case is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.