Man Found Dead In Lemon Grove

LEMON GROVE, CA – A bleeding, gravely injured man banged on the door of a Lemon Grove home in an apparent last-gasp plea for help, and his death a short time later prompted sheriff's deputies to launch a homicide investigation, authorities said Friday.

A resident in the 7600 block of Lemon Avenue called 911 a little before 9 p.m. Thursday to report hearing loud banging on the front door of the home, which is situated in a mostly commercial zone down the street from The Home Depot, San Diego County Sheriff's Lt. Rich Williams said.

"When deputies arrived they found a man unresponsive and lying on the ground outside the residence," Williams said. "He was seriously injured and had visible injuries to his upper body."

Firefighters attempted to revive the man, but he was pronounced dead just before 9:20 p.m., Williams said.

The victim had not been identified as of early Friday morning.

Homicide detectives were assigned to investigate the case, and the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office was expected to perform an autopsy to determine the cause and manner of death, Williams said.

Anyone with information about the apparent slaying was asked to call the sheriff's homicide detail during business hours at 858-974-2321 or during non-business hours at 858-565-5200. Anonymous tipsters can also contact San Diego County Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477, or online at sdcrimestoppers.org.

By City News Service / Image via Shutterstock