​Victim Of Fatal Stabbing At College-Area Drugstore ID'd

SAN DIEGO — Authorities today publicly identified a woman who was fatally stabbed at a College-area pharmacy, allegedly by a 77-year-old workplace colleague who was shot dead by police a short time later as he wielded a gun during a confrontation at his home near El Cajon.

Officers responding to a report of a violent dispute at the drug store in the 5500 block of Reservoir Drive about 4 p.m. Tuesday arrived to find the business locked, according to the San Diego Police Department.

The patrol personnel forced entry and found 66-year-old Mary Ellen Carter of Lakeside suffering from stab wounds to her upper body, SDPD Lt. Steve Shebloski said. Paramedics took her to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Police soon identified the suspected killer and determined that he had left the area in a large dark-colored SUV. Officers then went to his home in the 800 block of La Cresta Boulevard in the unincorporated community of Crest.

"The officers coordinated with the San Diego (County) Sheriff's Department to check that address, utilizing patrol deputies and ... sheriff helicopters,'' Shebloski said.

When the personnel approached the suspect behind his house a short time later, he was armed with what appeared to be a shotgun, sheriff's Lt. Chris Steffen said.

Officers initially tried to subdue him by shooting him with a beanbag gun, which had no effect, according to police. A short time later, two SDPD officers opened fire on him with their service firearms, killing him at the scene. The suspect's name has been withheld pending family notification.

The motivation for the fatal stabbing remained unclear Thursday.

"It is still early in the investigation and little is known about the circumstances leading up to (Carter's) death, other than it appears the suspect and victim were either co-owners or employees of the business where(the homicide) occurred and, for unknown reasons, the suspect attacked (her)," Shebloski said.

City News Service