Robber Kills Victim Who Tries to Flee

A 57-year-old man was shot to death when he fled robbers behind his City Heights apartment building Wednesday night, San Diego police said.

Amado Portillo, a dishwasher at the Bahia hotel, was shot and killed at about 8:30 p.m. Wednesday as he ran from a trio of gunmen behind his Van Dyke Avenue apartment building, San Diego Police Lt. Paul Ybarrondo said.

Portillo and a friend, Arturo Madero, were walking in the 4200 block of Polk Avenue near an alley, when three young men approached from behind and attempted a stickup, Ybarrondo said.

One of the men robbed Madero at gunpoint, while the others pulled Portillo aside to rob him, Ybarrondo said.

At that point, Portillo bolted into the alley and one of the gunmen shot him several times in the upper body, Ybarrondo said.

Portillo ran about 100 feet and collapsed at the rear entrance to his apartment building in the 4000 block of Van Dyke, Ybarrondo said.

He was pronounced dead at the scene, officials said.

The suspects are described as two Latinos and one black man, all 18 to 20 years old and wearing dark jackets and pants, Ybarrondo said. They were last seen running east on Polk Avenue, he said.