Man killed in gas station stabbing identified

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) -- San Diego police have identified the man killed last week in a stabbing at a gas station.

Damien Garcia, 33, died in the attack, Ashley Nicholes with the San Diego Police Department said in a news release Monday.

The stabbing happened Friday around 1:15 p.m. in the 5900 block of University Avenue in Mid-City, according to police. When officers arrived on scene, they found the victim with at least one stab wound to his upper body.

Garcia was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Investigators say the suspect, also 33, was at the gas station filling up his car when Garcia ran up to him and they started arguing. Garcia then punched the suspect and a fight ensued in the parking lot, per SDPD.

"At one point the victim slammed the suspect to the ground and got on top of him punching him multiple times. The suspect then stabbed the victim with a knife," Nicholes said.

After the fight, Garcia walked over to the gas station teller and sat down. The suspect waited by his vehicle with non-life-threatening injuries to his head until police arrived, according to authorities.

Police believe the suspect previously dated the victim's current girlfriend.

Anyone with information regarding the stabbing is advised to call the Homicide Unit at 619-531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.