The Latest: Man charged with murder of San Diego officer

SAN DIEGO – The Latest on the shooting of two San Diego police officers (all times local):

4 p.m.

A San Diego man has been charged with murder and attempted murder in the shootings of two San Diego police officers, and prosecutors revealed he opened fire immediately after being asked if he lived in the area where he was walking.

Jesse Gomez was charged with murder and attempted murder on Tuesday at a hospital as he recovered from wounds sustained in the gunbattle with police. Gomez, 52, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Deputy District Attorney Michael Runyon said at a news conference that the two officers had pulled up to Gomez, who was walking on Thursday night.

Runyon says one of them, Officer Wade Irwin, asked Gomez if he lived in the area. Gomez responded with gunfire, shooting and wounding Irwin. He then shot into the car where Officer Jonathan DeGuzman sat with his seatbelt still on. DeGuzman was shot four times and killed.

Gomez is eligible for the death penalty, but prosecutors have not decided whether to seek it.

Neither police nor prosecutors would say anything about a motive for the shooting

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12:15 p.m.

Officials say a man accused of fatally shooting one San Diego police officer and wounding another will be arraigned at a hospital where he is recovering from wounds sustained in the gunbattle.

Jesse Gomez would be charged Tuesday following his arrest on murder and attempted murder charges in the shootings Thursday night in a San Diego neighbourhood.

Gomez was found in a ravine with a gunshot wound to the chest shortly after the shootings. Police say a second man arrested on an unrelated search warrant may have also been involved.

Police say the shootings started during a traffic stop by the gang unit officers at about 11 p.m. Officials have not determined if the shootings were similar to targeted, premeditated attacks on police in other parts of the country.