Witness speaks out about deadly Navy sailor shooting

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) -- New details are emerging about the Navy sailor that was gunned down in East Village over the weekend. We are now hearing from a witness that saw the shooting first hand.

At the intersection of F Street and 9th Avenue, friends and fellow Navy sailors are mourning the death of 18-year-old Albert Lee Soto.

San Diego Police homicide detectives are investigating the fatal shooting of the 18-year-old Navy sailor in East Village early Saturday morning.

Soto, an Operations Specialist Seaman Apprentice assigned to the USS Pinckney at Naval Base San Diego, was shot and killed near the intersection of F Street and 9th Avenue in San Diego's East Village neighborhood.

According to witnesses, a group of young men, including Soto, became involved in an altercation at the F6ix Nightclub. Shortly after, around 12:30 a.m., shots were fired as Soto and his friends walked along F Street.

Local resident Jonelle Mahoney, who lives nearby, reported hearing the argument escalate.

"I heard a lot of arguing. I heard some people say we thought this was over," Mahoney said. Moments later, she heard at least five gunshots. When she looked outside, she saw Soto collapse on the sidewalk.

"And then I saw everybody screaming, saying 'Call the police, call the police,'" Mahoney said. She also saw four men running away from the intersection. Soto was later pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.

San Diego Police have collected surveillance video and are working to identify the four men who fled the scene. Investigators believe they may be the same individuals involved in the earlier altercation at the nightclub.

The death of Soto, who had joined the Navy to serve and protect his country, has left friends, fellow sailors, and the community in mourning. A vigil was held Sunday night at the site of the shooting, where a memorial now stands.

Marine veteran Randy Ward, who lives in the area, expressed his sorrow over the loss of a young service member.

"The fact that he was only 18... that really crushed me and I'm still trying to get over it," Ward said. "Especially for a service member, someone who is trying to put their life on the line for their country, and they lose their life in their country, I think that is so unfair."

Investigators say they will soon be providing new information on the four suspects.