San Diego

Police say the shooting early Thursday morning of a 17-year-old Southeast San Diego boy may be gang-related.

The victim, Janiro Ramsey, was taken to Mercy Hospital with a small-caliber gunshot wound under the eye. He was in the surgical intensive care unit Thursday night, but hospital officials would say no more.

San Diego police Lt. George Saldamando said Ramsey, who police believe is not a gang member, was in “extremely critical” condition, adding that homicide detectives are ready to take over the case if Ramsey dies.

The victim was talking on a pay phone at the corner of Imperial Avenue and Lisbon Street about 2:20 a.m. when he saw what he thought was a group of friends approaching, said Saldamando, who’s in charge of the department’s gang unit.

“He decided to scream out some words and make a hand gesture as a joke,” said Saldamando.

“As he finished yelling out these words, one shot rang out and he was struck underneath the eye.”

Saldamando didn’t know where in Southeast San Diego Ramsey lived.

“At this time, we’re looking at it only as a possible gang-related shooting,” he said. It happened “in an area where we do have street gangs.”