In the early hours of July 20, 2024, at approximately 2:30 a.m., the San Diego Sheriff's Office Communications Center received a wireless 911 call from a cell phone near Civic Center Drive in Vista, California. Shortly thereafter, five males arrived at Palomar Medical Center in Escondido, with four suffering from gunshot wounds. Tragically, one of the victims, identified as 19-year-old Antonio Junior Calderon Mendiola from Vista, succumbed to his injuries.
The San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office determined the cause of death to be a gunshot wound, classifying it as a homicide.
The other victims included a 17-year-old male and an 18-year-old male, both of whom were admitted to the Intensive Care Unit in critical condition. Additionally, a 16-year-old male was hospitalized in stable condition. The circumstances leading up to the shooting remain unclear, and investigators are diligently working to uncover the events that transpired that night. As of the latest reports, no suspects have been identified, and the motive behind the shooting is still under investigation.
Authorities have urged anyone with information regarding the incident to come forward. The San Diego Sheriff's Department Homicide Unit can be contacted at (858) 285-6330, or after hours at (858) 565-5200. Individuals wishing to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477. The community has been shaken by this tragic event, and law enforcement continues to seek leads to bring those responsible to justice.
In the wake of Antonio's passing, his family and friends have remembered him as a gentle, kind, and bright individual who had recently graduated from Twin Oaks High School and was in the process of joining the Marine Corps. His untimely death has left a significant void in the lives of those who knew and loved him.
