San Diego

Homicide detectives are investigating the death of a woman whose body was found Wednesday morning on the beach at the foot of West Point Loma Boulevard in Ocean Beach.

The 23-year-old woman, whose name was not released by authorities, was found lying face up near the Ocean Beach jetty with a single gunshot wound to the chest, a deputy coroner said. A .22-caliber rifle was found in the bushes a short distance from where the body lay, the spokesman said.

Although homicide detectives are investigating the circumstances, it appears the wound was self-inflicted, a police spokeswoman said.