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Bar fight leads to fatal shooting in the Gaslamp

A man was shot and killed in the Gaslamp after a bar fight turned deadly, authorities said.

SAN DIEGO (NEWS 8/CNS) - Police Monday were investigating the fatal shooting of a 33-year-old man in San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter.

The shooting was reported around 2 a.m. near the intersection of Market Street and Fifth Avenue, San Diego police Lt. Matt Dobbs said.

John Holtz told News 8 the victim was his 33-year-old son, Joey - who was talented and well loved. 

An argument between Joey and a group of men quickly escalated and Joey was shot at least once in the upper body. According to John, police told him the shooting stemmed from an argument inside a bar. The suspect allegedly and mistakenly thought Joey and his friends were talking about him. Joey reached for some sort of an object when the suspect pulled out a gun. 

Bystanders jumped in and were providing medical aid when officers arrived, Dobbs said. Police and paramedics also attempted to save the man, but he died at the scene.

According to John, Joey was the assistant general manger and executive chef at Myst Lounge. He used to work as executive chef at Parq Restaurant.

Joey was a father of a three-year-old son. 

"I know for sure they'll remember him as one of the good guys. He was one of those people that never in a million years should this have happened and unfortunately it did," one friend said.

Two men suspected of being involved in the incident fled the area in a cab that was later stopped by officers, Dobbs said. 

As a result of information developed during the investigation, 23 year-old Jonathan Hernandez was subsequently arrested and booked for murder. The case will be presented to the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office in the coming days.

"The fact a guy shoots him who is angered because he heard Joey and his friends talking, and they were not even talking about them," said Joey's father. 

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the Homicide Unit at (619) 531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.

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