San Diego, CA — A violent episode in Mission Valley’s Handlery Hotel left one man dead and another injured late Monday evening. Police responded to a distress call at approximately 8:30 p.m., discovering 19-year-old Damian Martinez from El Monte, California, deceased in the hotel hallway.
Just outside the hotel lobby, a 23-year-old man was also found, suffering from gunshot wounds that were assessed as non-lethal. Authorities have yet to release his name.
A swift intervention by officers connected a dark-colored truck in the hotel parking lot to the incident. 29-year-old Kevin Casey Larin, a Northridge, California resident, was inside the vehicle and surrendered to the police without further conflict. Larin now faces charges of murder and attempted murder, as he was booked into San Diego Central Jail following his arrest.
Investigators are delving into the relationships between the involved parties, revealing all three men were coworkers traveling to San Diego for work purposes. This detail might provide some context about the nature of their interaction before the shooting occurred. However, San Diego Police Department has not yet determined a motive in the shooting.
The incident has raised concerns about security measures in hotel establishments and the impacts of interpersonal conflicts among traveling workers. It also accentuates the potential unpredictability of workplace relationships spilling over into violence.
Police investigations continue as they piece together the events leading up to the shooting. Meanwhile, the community remains alert as they seek reassurances and clarity regarding the circumstances surrounding this tragic event.