3 Shot in Fracas After Traffic Accident

Three Navy seamen were shot during a melee that erupted after a man backed his car into another car at a Church’s Fried Chicken restaurant in the 3100 block of Main Street, police said.

Thomas Cathcart, 22, was shot twice in the head and remained in serious condition Saturday at UC San Diego Medical Center, a hospital spokeswoman said. Another Navy man, Arnold Coston, 21, was treated at UC San Diego Medical Center for a gunshot wound in the groin and released Friday afternoon, a hospital spokeswoman said.

The third victim, Kendall Gault, 22, drove himself to Balboa Naval Hospital after the shooting and was treated for a gunshot wound in the leg, said Lt. George Saldamando of the police gang unit. Before he was released from the hospital, San Diego police arrested Gault for his alleged part in the shooting, Saldamando said.

The Naval Intelligence Service arrested Robert Johnston, 21, and Derick Robinson, 18, at the 32nd Street Naval base Friday in connection with the incident. The NIS is working with the gang unit because of the number of sailors involved in the shooting, Saldamando said.

The police gang unit was called in to investigate because it was first believed that the shooting was gang related, Saldamando said.

The shooting began about 9:30 p.m. in the parking lot of Church’s Fried Chicken, Saldamando said. About half an hour earlier, a man in the drive-through line backed up and hit the car behind him, he said.

The occupants of the rear car, all sailors, reportedly got out and began yelling at the man. One seaman punched the man in the mouth, Saldamando said. A group of bystanders, also Navy personnel, then intervened, telling the sailors to leave the man alone, he said.

The first group of sailors got back into their car, saying they would return, said Saldamando. The man who had originally backed into their car drove off. Police are looking for him for questioning, he said.

The first group of sailors later returned to the restaurant, and a fight broke out, Saldamando said.

Johnston reportedly produced a gun, but fell to the ground during the scuffle, Saldamando said. Gault then retrieved the pistol, firing several rounds into the crowd, Saldamando said.

Robinson, who also had a gun, fired twice into the crowd, Saldamando said. When police arrived, they retrieved two shotguns with folding stocks and two 9-millimeter handguns, he said.

Johnston was booked into County Jail downtown on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon. Robinson was booked on suspicion of shooting at an occupied car, and Gault was booked on suspicion of two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, Saldamando said.

The gang unit on Friday was still interviewing more than 20 people who witnessed the shooting, he said.