Cowles Mountain as seen from Lake Murray in San Diego. Photo: Wikimedia Commons
On Sunday, March 30, a hiker fired four shots from an unregistered “ghost gun” on Cowles Mountain in San Diego. Witnesses say the shots were aimed at a group of men who were pursuing him and his girlfriend while holding rocks, but other unrelated hikers got stuck in the crossfire. Fortunately, no one was struck by the bullets.
The hiker, identified as 19-year-old Jesus Castanada, was arrested and has since posted bail. He was booked on suspicion of four counts of assault with a deadly weapon, two counts related to unlawfully carrying a concealed weapon, and one count related to possession of a gun without a federal serial number. His arraignment is scheduled for April 8.
Cowles Mountain is the highest point in the San Diego City limits, making it a popular, moderate 1.5-mile hike that provides 360-degree views. The incident occurred around 10:45 a.m. on a Sunday – a busy hiking time – after an alleged altercation led the group to start pursuing Castanada down the mountain. A witness, who requested anonymity out of fear for his safety, told the San Diego Union-Tribune that during the pursuit, Castanada stopped, and from a distance of 20 to 25 feet, fired off two shots.
The witness said that around 10 to 12 other hikers were in the immediate area. After a brief pause where the rock-wielding group allegedly taunted Castanada about his poor aim, Castanada fired off two more shots and fled down the mountain. The hikers who had been targeted asked the witnesses if anyone had been hit, then resumed their pursuit.
The witness then called 911, and several minutes later, a police helicopter started circling the area. Later, police officers hiked up the trail to investigate the scene of the shooting.
The witness said they were unaware of what caused the altercation.
Local authorities announced that they deemed the area safe for hiking activities to resume.
“At this time, we would not consider this incident to create an ongoing public safety issue at Cowles Mountain, but as always, would encourage the public to stay aware of their surroundings and call police if needed,” said San Diego police Lieutenant Daniel Meyer.
