Dozens of guns seized from man accused of shooting San Diego city worker

Authorities uncovered and seized an assault rifle along with dozens of handguns, other rifles and explosives from the home of a University Heights man suspected of shooting a city employee who was working to restore water to his home on Labor Day, the city attorney’s office announced Friday.

The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department bomb squad found and took the cache Sept. 7 while serving what is known as a gun violence restraining order against the homeowner and accused shooter, 79-year-old Nathan Brogan, officials said.

The weapons stockpile included an AR-15 with a 200-round drum magazine, 34 additional rifles and 21 handguns from Brogan’s home, the city attorney’s office said.

The bomb squad also removed 75,000 rounds of ammunition as well as explosives, among them a smoke grenade and 4.5 pounds of loose black powder.

In announcing the stockpile seizure, the city attorney‘s office noted that the home sits about five blocks from an elementary school.

Brogan has been charged with attempted murder, assault with a firearm and shooting at an inhabited dwelling or occupied vehicle. He has pleaded not guilty and remains jailed in lieu of $1-million bail.

On the day of the shooting, a San Diego Public Utilities Department crew was in the vicinity trying to restore water service to the area.

A 55-year-old supervisor — wearing an orange vest and safety gear — approached Brogan’s home to check that service had been restored.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Matthew Greco has said the employee saw Brogan in the home and tried to call out to him, identifying himself in the process.

But Brogan disappeared, Greco said.

The prosecutor said Brogan soon came out of the home carrying a 12-gauge shotgun. The victim again identified himself.

Brogan said, “I don’t care who you are with” and shot the worker, Greco said. The victim was struck in his chest and arm.

The resident later told police that he thought the worker was trying to break into his house, authorities said.

teri.figueroa@sduniontribune.com

Figueroa writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune.