Freeway Sniper Suspect Arrested

San Diego police Tuesday night were questioning a man in connection with a report that someone was shooting at cars at the interchange of Interstate 805 and California 52.

Lt. Michael Blakely said police took the man into custody after they found spent shells in his pocket and a loaded .22-caliber pump-action rifle in his car, which was parked near ball fields at Convoy Court and Shawline Street. They also found spent .22-caliber shells on a hill overlooking the freeway interchange, Blakely said.

Blakely said police were alerted to the shootings at 7:15 p.m. by an anonymous caller, who complained that a man with a rifle had been firing on cars traveling through the interchange. The caller gave a detailed description of the gunman, Blakely said.

Deputies in the San Diego County sheriff’s helicopter spotted a man matching the description as he approached the parked car, Blakely said. The department received no other calls about the alleged gunman.

Blakely said police had not decided by late Tuesday whether to charge the man with possessing a loaded firearm, a misdemeanor, or the more serious felony of shooting at an occupied vehicle. The man’s identity was not released.