LA MESA, Sat. Aug. 8, 3:38 a.m. – A domestic violence call in the early hours of Saturday turned into a shooting and an attempted attack on police early Saturday, after a bullet fired inside a Buckland Street apartment tore through a shared wall and struck a sleeping neighbor.
La Mesa police say they received a 911 call reporting ongoing domestic violence inside an apartment at 8420 Buckland Street at about 3:38 a.m. A single gunshot was fired during the incident, and the bullet passed through a shared wall, striking a 51-year-old man asleep in the neighboring unit.
Officers arrived within moments and approached the apartments. The suspect, later identified as 31-year-old Trevor Shell, was waiting outside his apartment when officers arrived. According to police, Shell raised a handgun, pointed it at officers and pulled the trigger, but the weapon apparently malfunctioned. No shots were fired by officers. Shell then dropped the gun and ran, but was captured a short distance away and arrested.
Police say the original domestic violence victim was shaken but not physically injured. The man struck by the stray bullet was taken to a hospital and is listed in stable condition.
Shell continued to resist while in custody and had to be restrained with a WRAP device, according to police. He was taken to a hospital to be evaluated for an altered mental state. Once released, Shell is expected to be booked into San Diego County Jail on charges connected to domestic violence, the shooting of his neighbor and the attempted shooting of an officer. Exact charges have not yet been filed.
The La Mesa Police Department’s Investigations Division remains on scene.
