Heavy police presence in San Diego amid hunt for killer of homeless men

Scores of detectives and uniformed officers were posted at trolley stations across central San Diego on Thursday morning, searching for a killer preying on homeless men.

San Diego police said there was no new possible sighting of the suspect, but investigators were checking trolleys and bus stops in case he was using them to get around town.

Two to four officers positioned themselves at every trolley stop from Little Italy to Barrio Logan about 8:30 a.m. and repeated a description of a man suspected of killing two men and critically injuring two others since Sunday. Three of the victims were sleeping when they were attacked; two were set on fire, one after he was dead.

At a media briefing outside police headquarters Thursday morning, Capt. David Nisleit said investigators think the killer could be using public transportation because no witness has seen him with a car. He said that checks of trolley and bus stops, which started Wednesday night, will continue.

“We talked to a lot of people last night and followed a lot of leads,” Nisleit said. “We will continue to do that.”

Officers at 22nd and Commercial streets stopped and questioned a balding man carrying a gas can near his Honda car. They learned that he had a criminal past and took DNA swabs and photos of him, his tattoos and shoes before letting him go. He said he was temporarily homeless and living in his car, and that he understood why police would have questioned him.

Homicide investigators say they are absolutely sure that one man is behind all four attacks.

His image was caught on a security camera before one assault and he has been described as 30 to 50 years old, then wearing a tan or brown jacket or sweatshirt and a green hat. He carried a backpack. Witnesses saw what is believed to be the same man carrying a gas can about the same time. After a non-fatal attack on Wednesday, witnesses said he wore a light-colored hoodie with the hood pulled tightly around his face.

Police said there were no new attacks on Thursday.

Repard writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune.