Rey Nicholas Phillinganes, a rookie wide receiver...

Rey Nicholas Phillinganes, a rookie wide receiver with the Rams before being released last month, was shot to death early Friday in La Mesa, near San Diego. An unidentified man later was arrested in his killing, officials said.

Phillinganes, 23, of Rancho Bernardo, was found fatally wounded shortly before 6 a.m. by police who were responding to a call about an injury accident, police Capt. John Oleksow said.

Phillinganes died an hour later at Grossmont Hospital of a gunshot wound to the chest, Oleksow said. A handgun was found at the shooting scene on University Avenue.

A Ram spokesman said Phillinganes was drafted this year out of the University of California. He was released Oct. 10 after being on the injured reserve list since training camp, where he had suffered a leg injury.