Survivors argue there is evidence shooting was racially motivated

Survivors of a mass shooting at a crowded, poolside birthday party returned to the University City apartment complex Tuesday with a unified message — race played a role.

They spoke of their grief, and their desire to connect with counselors to help them untangle their trauma. But their primary goal was to publicly state that they felt the shooting was racially motivated.

Walking to their press conference, victims who were at the shooting last Sunday at the La Jolla Crossroads apartments, called for a press conference to speak with the news reporters.

(Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune)

“As additional factors come in, we realize there are multiple components to this problem, but we feel heartbreak in the fact that (police are) trying to dismiss a part of the motive,” said Navy Lt. j.g. Lauren Chapman, who attended the party.

About a dozen people participated in the gathering, which was held on a grassy outcropping at the La Jolla Crossroads Apartments. The pool area was a distant backdrop. Although none was injured when 49-year-old Peter Selis started shooting Sunday night, all were there.

Most of the 30 or so people who attended the party were black or Latino. Selis was white, and all but one of the victims were people of color.

San Diego Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman said a day after the shooting that there was “zero information” indicating the crime was racially motivated. She also said Selis, who was fatally shot by police, was despondent over a recent breakup. He called and spoke to his ex-girlfriend during the incident so she could hear “his rampage.”

Records show Selis also faced serious financial troubles, filing bankruptcy in 2009 and again in 2015. He owed substantial amounts of money to medical groups, credit card companies, and creditors, according to court documents.

A number of black community leaders questioned how police could have come to their conclusions so quickly.

“How, in less than 24 hours, did Shelley Zimmerman come to the result that there was no hate involved in this?” said Shane Harris, president of the San Diego Chapter of the National Action Network, a civil rights organization.

San Diego police Capt. Brian Ahearn said Tuesday that the investigation continues and is expected to take weeks. Police again asked for anyone who may have information about the shooting to come forward.

Lauren Chapman who was at the birthday party celebration, spoke with news reporters on Tuesday.

(Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune)

At Tuesday’s gathering at the Judicial Drive complex, several speakers recounted details that led them to believe race was a factor in the shooting.

While the birthday party was about 20 feet away from Selis, two white women who were closer were seemingly dismissed as targets. Selis also did not fire at a white security guard who, from the other side of a fence, ordered him to drop his gun after the shooting began.

They added that when a white partygoer tried to help a friend who had been shot, she was told to leave and not tend to the black woman. That victim was Monique Clark, a 35-year-old mother of three who died.

A GoFundMe page set up for funeral costs and to support her family has amassed more than $37,000 in donations.

“I believe the group that he was going after was targeted, that’s what I believe,” said Mychael Gary.

Harris with the National Action Network said that police need to thoroughly investigate if Selis acted out of racial animosity and if the shooting was a hate crime.

It’s more than just a “tragedy” like Mayor Kevin Faulconer described, Harris said.

He said that the investigation needs to determine if the shooting was premeditated, and if Selis surveyed the pool area and saw the people at the birthday party before he decided to open fire.

Kion Gould, who was celebrating his 47th birthday, was the first to be shot, shortly after offering Selis a drink.

Gary said everyone noticed the man’s strange behavior, but it wasn’t enough to arouse their suspicions.

“We noticed him sitting there, blankly staring, but we didn’t think anything of it,” he said.

And it certainly didn’t stop Gould from approaching Selis. Gould’s friends said he’s always had a welcoming personality. It wasn’t uncommon, especially while out having a good time, that Gould would invite strangers to join them.

“We always get on him about it, but that’s who he is,” said friend Willie Mayo.

Selis opened fire and Gould was shot once or twice in the stomach. When the gunman took aim at Gould’s face, he put his hand up, and a bullet that may have been meant for his head struck his arm.

Gary thought the gunfire was a firecracker, but when he turned around, Selis was pointing a handgun in his direction. Gary said he never saw the man move from his chair.

“That’s the part that messed me up the most. He was too calm,” Gary said. “To me, it was calculated.”

Chaos ensued. Gary ran, but turned around to help a bleeding friend. He watched as another woman ran away, even though she had been shot in both legs.

“It still doesn’t feel real,” Gary said. “I woke up and I’m still kind of waiting for it to not be reality. … it just replays. You have to just try to accept it and hope it gets better.”

He also thanked police for getting there as fast as they did. Selis shot at a sergeant and two officers who were among the first to arrive. They returned fire, killing Selis.

In a statement sent to CBS News 8, the Selis family said:

“Our family feels the unbearable pain caused by Pete’s senseless acts. We cannot understand what would have caused Pete to do this. Words cannot express our profound grief and sorrow for all the victims and their families. On behalf of our family, we are so sorry that this happened. We ask that you please respect our privacy. We will miss our beloved Pete forever.”

Haley Thames said she ran to medics to guide them to the pool area. The image of seeing the victims on the ground haunts her, she said.

Garrick Davis said it’s unbearable to relive the shooting.

“You replay it and you still don’t believe it,” Davis said.

Over the next 48 hours, many of the survivors have banded together, sleeping at each other’s homes when they weren’t visiting injured friends at the hospital.

Of the six injured people who were taken to Scripps Memorial and Scripps Mercy hospitals after the shooting, at least two have been released, a hospital spokesman said. Others may have been discharged, but the hospital wasn’t authorized to talk about them.

Doctors have said Gould’s recovery will be long. They removed a kidney and portions of his small intestine. The bones in his arm were shattered. It’s too early to tell what the long-term effects of his injuries will be, Gary said.

His friends set up a GoFundMe page to support his recovery expenses.

“I play around and call him my hero,” Gary said. “He’s an older guy and he’s in better shape than us. I’m just not used to seeing him like this. I’m not ready to accept it.”

Staff writer Joshua Stewart contributed to this story.

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lyndsay.winkley@sduniontribune.com