A child playing with a lighter may have accidentally sparked a house fire in Serra Mesa Tuesday night, officials from the San Diego-Fire Rescue Department said.

The blaze began around 6:50 p.m. in the bedroom of a home in the 9100-block of Huntington Avenue. When firefighters arrived on scene, smoke could be seen stemming from the house. Crews worked to quickly contain and knock down the fire.

Residents were safely evacuated from the home. Fire officials said American Red Cross would be assisting the displaced family, which includes four adults and two children.

Though the cause of the blaze remains under investigation, fire officials said a child playing with a lighter likely led to the flames.
 

Two Chinese fishermen are recovering from second and third degree burns at the intensive care unit at UC San Diego Medical Center in Hillcrest.

On Saturday, the U.S. Air Force parachuted into the Pacific Ocean to rescue the men. The ordeal began last week when there was an explosion and fire that sank the fishing boat they were aboard.

There were 17 people on board. Two died, six are still missing and the rest are on their way back to China.

The two men do not want their names released. They are both described as being in their 30s and from the Fujian Province in China. The boat left from the Fujian Province in December.

The men were discovered floating on a raft Friday and pulled to safety by a Venezuelan boat about 1,100 nautical miles off the coast of Cabo San Lucas. After the Air Force safely rescued the men, they arrived in San Diego on Monday night and were taken by ambulance to UC San Diego Medical Center.

Dr. Raul Coimbra, surgeon in chief at UCSD Medical Center Hillcrest, gave an update on the condition of the fishermen Tuesday, saying the men do not have life threatening burns. One man has burns on around 18 percent of his body, while the other has burns on 8 percent of his body, according to Coimbra. These burns are on the lower and upper body, but not the face.

“They are being evaluated constantly which is the way we approach this injuries to decide whether they need surgical intervention for removal of the burn wounds versus local wound care for their burns and they will heal,” said Coimbra.

Coimbra says the men are conscious and communicating with hospital staff.

Representatives from the Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles traveled to San Diego on Monday night to help with translation and to help identify the men. Zhou Xiang from the Chinese Consulate says the families of the fishermen and employer have been contacted.

Coimbra says he doesn’t know how long the men will remain in hospitalized in San Diego. At this point, he said it’s a day by day prognosis.

“Hopefully over time, we’ll be able to make a decision whether they need surgery or wound care.

Obviously, if they require surgery they will stay here a little longer, if they don’t they will probably go home a lot sooner,” he added.

A Maryland man has been charged for following a Secret Service motorcade into a closed porion of Pennsylvania Avenue.

Just after 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, a man in a Honda Civic closely trailed the motorcade taking the president’s daughters home through the Pennsylvania Avenue entrance to the White House.

According to court documents, the driver of the Civic followed the motorcade so closely that guards were unable to raise gate bollards in order to stop him. The driver passed a large 'Do Not Enter Sign' and entered the 1600 block of Pennsylvania Avenue NW. 

An officer controlling traffic in the area stepped in front of the Civic and halted the driver, who has been identified as 55-year-old Matthew Evan Goldstein.

Goldstein is facing charges of unlawful entry.

The incident caused gridlock in the area as uniformed Secret Service agents kept people out of the area and the plaza on Pennsylvania Avenue was closed for more than 45 minutes.

Looking for a fun way to celebrate mom this Mother’s Day? In San Diego, taking mom out to a local landmark might just be the way to her heart. Luckily, some iconic spots around the city are offering a special brunch menu for Mother’s Day – sights included.

Check out these ideas for mom’s big day:

Coronado:
Is your mom a seaside kind of gal? If so, you can’t go wrong with brunch in charming Coronado – specifically at the famous Hotel Del Coronado. The Del’s Mother’s Day Champagne Brunch will be served buffet style in the Oceanfront Ballroom and in the Crown Room from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. As moms enjoy a scrumptious spread – which includes half-shell Gulf Coast Oysters, herb-cured smoked salmon, pepper-rubbed New York strip steak, brioche French toast and gourmet salads, among many, many offerings – they’ll also be treated to live musical entertainment. As a bonus, every mom will receive a rose.

Mother’s Day brunch at the Hotel Del Coronado costs $90 to $100 per adult, and $35 for children ages 6 to 10. Children age 5 and under eat free and there will be a special buffet for kids, too. To make reservations, call (619) 522-8490.

Seaport Village:
A stroll along picturesque Seaport Village never gets old, especially with the waterfront photo opportunities perfect for mom’s running family photo album. Seaport Village is home to four restaurants and more than a dozen smaller eateries, so mom will have several dining options during this landmark outing.

If brunch is the big plan, the popular Harbor House restaurant will offer a Mother’s Day Brunch buffet complete with a salad bar, fresh pastries, waffles, omelet station and other savory dishes. A sweet buffet bonus: a self-serve ice cream bar boasting frozen treats, cakes, cookies and fruit. This holiday brunch buffet costs $32.95 per adult and $14.95 per child. Reservations can be made in advance online here.

Balboa Park:
Being a good mom is no walk in the park, that’s for sure, but going to the park is easy. And, what better San Diego park than Balboa Park? Take mom to this cultural landmark on Sunday and enjoy a walk around the many beautiful gardens and trails and a trip to the lily pond. Pack a picnic and have relaxing, simple lunch with mom outside on the grass or near the big water fountain.

If mom is a museum buff, take her to one of many exhibitions open at the park that day including “Lynn Fayman: A Colorful Life” at the Museum of Photographic Arts (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.), or “Ripley’s Believe It or Not!” at the San Diego Air & Space Museum (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.)

For brunch, make a reservation at The Prado restaurant in the heart of Balboa Park. Mother’s Day Champagne Buffet Brunch will be served from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The menu includes salads, a hot food display with breakfast favorites, a chilled seafood display, a carving station and a dim sum station. The price is $59.95 per adult and $16.95 for kids ages 6 to 12. Children age 6 and under are free. Make reservations by calling (619) 557-9441, ext. 1.

Old Town San Diego:
Does mom love a good history lesson, tacos and live entertainment? Old Town San Diego State Historic Park has all of that by the dozens. Bring mom here on Sunday and walk along San Diego Avenue, checking out the little shops, historic buildings and mini museums along the way. The stage in the middle of Fiesta de Reyes usually boasts some type of free live entertainment on Sundays, including dance performances and mariachi music. For brunch, lunch or dinner, let mom choose between the dozens of delicious Mexican restaurants in Old Town, including favorites such as Café Coyote, Old Town Mexican Café or Casa Guadalajara.

San Diego Zoo or San Diego Zoo Safari Park:
For the mom who loves animals, a trip to the world-famous San Diego Zoo or San Diego Zoo Safari Park may be in order. Both parks are offering a Mother’s Day Brunch at on-site restaurants. At the zoo, Albert’s Restaurant will host Mother’s Day brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Treetops Banquet Room that includes this menu. The cost is $42.95 for adults and $18.95 for children ages 3 through 11, plus zoo admission for nonmembers. Reservations for this brunch can be made daily by calling (619) 557-3964.

At the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, a special Mother’s Day brunch will be held at the Hunte Nairobi Pavilion, with seatings at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. The cost is $42.95 per adult and $18.95 for children 3 to 11, plus Safari Park admission for nonmembers. Make reservations online here, or by calling (619) 718-3000.
 

The newest recruit at San Diego’s Marine Corps Recruit Depot might have a little trouble on the obstacle course.

That’s because he’s a puppy.

MCRD has announced Smedley Butler, a 10-week-old English bulldog, as its new mascot.

MCRD San Diego has a long history of English bulldog mascots. The first mascot was James Jolly Plum Duff, who was recruited in 1939, according to an MCRD news release.

The new mascot is named after the highly decorated Maj. Gen. Smedley Butler. Butler was the person who introduced the English bulldog as the Marine Corps mascot, according to the release. 

The new top dog has a lot on his plate (rather, his food bowl.) He will make appearances at ceremonies and other events and help with recruitment.

Smedley is replacing Cpl. Belleau Wood, who “retired” in April and is living with a family in Temecula.

Photo courtesy of Instagram. Follow Smedley on Instagram at @Smedley_butler_mcrdsd.

A 15-year-old boy accused of committing at least 90 acts of graffiti around San Diego’s North County has been arrested, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department confirmed Tuesday.

Deputies from the San Marcos Sheriff’s Station Community Policing Unit took the alleged vandal into custody Friday. Investigators said the teenager is responsible for dozens of graffiti tags in the San Elijo area of San Marcos and in Vista. The graffiti, drawn with black marker, included the suspect’s monikers, identified as “SMILEZ,” “SMILE” and “SMILES.”

In all, the teen’s tags caused approximately $24,000 in damages.

According to investigators, the teenager has ties to a San Marcos street gang. He confessed to his participation in the graffiti while in custody for a prior probation violation, deputies said. The minor’s name was not released.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information on this graffiti case should contact the sheriff’s department at (858) 565-5200 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.
 

In Afghanistan, Helmand Province is the deadliest region, and the most violent of all districts is Sangin District. Nearly 950 coalition troops have lost their lives there.

Within the past 48 hours, the last U.S. Marines left the Northern Helmand Province.

Most of those Marines were based in San Diego. Leading them away was Captain Alistair Howard, 36, from La Mesa.

Three of Howard’s five deployments were to Sangin. His first tour was in 2010, when the people in Sangin were under constant threat from the Taliban.

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“It was chaotic. We were working with the Afghans, and the AFP were barely holding on, which is the Afghan Uniformed Police,” Howard said from Camp Leatherneck in a Skype interview with NBC 7.

It took three years of battles and rebuilding to overtake the Taliban and train Afghan forces to provide security, he said, the kind of security that allowed residents to hold free elections despite, at times, acts of life-threatening intimidation.

“To see that the people came out and they actually went out to vote to shape their future…to be a part of that in Sangin and all of Afghanistan was amazing,” Howard said.

Howard said leading his troops out of Sangin was bittersweet. He thought about the troops who had sacrificed life and limb for this mission.

“If they could see what we saw when we left and the success that all the years that we had there and the many battalions that came through Sangin, that it was well worthwhile and that the people of Sangin are very successful and they are going to live a better life because of what we did.”

Howard said he hopes the people who have lived in fear for decades in Sangin will now live in peace.

Howard’s mission is not over yet; he will likely remain in Afghanistan until the fall.

The bodies of four people were found inside a burning home in an upscale neighborhood near Tampa early Wednesday morning.

Firefighters responded to the home at 16223 Sierra de Avila around 5:45 a.m. and encountered heavy flames, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said.

Hillsborough County property records showed, and the Sheriff's Office, confirmed the house belongs to tennis star James Blake. A representative for Blake's sports management company said he no longer lives in the home.

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The 34-year-old veteran of the professional tennis circuit, who announced plans to retire following the U.S. Open last year, now lives in his home state of Connecticut, according to Molly Logan of the sports management company IMG.

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Hillsbrough County Fire said they initially found two bodies, but later in the morning found a third body. Around 1 p.m., fire officials said they discovered a fourth body inside the home. Sheriff's office detectives haven't been inside the home while they obtain a search warrant and the Fire Marshall finishes their investigation.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office have not released the names of the four people who died in the house at this time.

The cause of the fire has not been determined, but Hillsborough Fire said detectives had found fireworks inside the residence in the initial search. Fire officials said the type of fireworks and where they were found is unknown.

A top aide for a San Diego congressman facing a tough re-election fight apologized Wednesday after the incumbent's campaign website featured a story that used a slur to describe his openly gay opponent/challenger.

The gay slur appeared in a blog post from Americablog that was re-posted on to the website for U.S. Rep. Scott Peters D-52nd District.

The original post read, "Oh Mary, its so hard to be you" referring to Peters' challenger, former San Diego City Councilman Carl DeMaio.

Peters’ campaign manager issued an apology Tuesday saying neither she nor Peters knew about the slur. She said the person who used it was unaware the term was a slur and was never meant to offend someone.

"However as the manager, I take responsibility for it and extend my sincere apologies to anyone who was offended,” campaign manager MaryAnne Pintar said.

The race for the seat in this swing district has had its fair share of smack talk and name calling. 

The National Republican Congressional Committee has put a lot of support behind DeMaio, a moderate Republican, who may be able to garner some Democratic votes to win the seat away from the first-time Democratic congressman.

Dave McCulloch, spokesperson for the Carl DeMaio campaign, issued this statement to NBC 7:

“Carl DeMaio remains focused on issues that matter most to San Diegans, like job creation and fiscal reform - and largely ignores nasty attacks so common in politics today.”

The California teen stowaway who survived a 5 1/2-hour flight from San Jose to Hawaii can be seen in just-released surveillance video stumbling from the plane's wheel well minutes after it touched down.

The 15-year-old was found walking on the tarmac at Kahului Airport just before 11:30 a.m. April 20, shortly after crossing the Pacific tucked away in the plane's landing gear. The new video is from that day, airport officials said.

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"The teen appeared disoriented and was questioned by a worker near the plane who alerted security," airport officials said in a statement released last month.

"TSA and the FBI were also contacted. Surveillance video at Kahului Airport showed what appeared to be the boy exiting from the wheel well of a plane from San Jose, California, that had landed in Kahului, Maui, at about 10:30 a.m. The boy was treated by airport and county medics and then transported to a Maui hospital," they said.

San Jose Police say they still want to interview the teen, who survived sub-freezing temperatures in the wheel well of a jetliner as it crossed the Pacific Ocean.

Police spokesman Albert Morales says the 15-year-old Somali immigrant flew back to California over the weekend and was being cared for by Santa Clara County Child Protective Services.

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San Jose police say they are investigating a possible trespassing charge against the teen. But they need to talk to the teen before they pursue the misdemeanor charge.
   
“We want to find out his thought processes and what was his intent,” SJPD spokesperson Albert Morales said. “At the minimum, he is looking at criminal trespassing, which is a misdemeanor in the state of California.”

Police also want to ask the teen exactly where he scaled a fence at the airport, which allowed him to then hide in the wheel well of a Boeing 767.

Airport surveillance cameras did not capture the boy going over the fence, so where he climbed it remains a mystery.

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Police say they hope to get specific details from the boy  that can help them beef up security at the airport.

The teen's father, Abdilahi Yusuf, who drives a taxi in San Jose, flew to Hawaii last week to bring his son home, but child welfare officials there turned the boy over to their California counterparts.

The teen's mother Ubah Mohammed Abdule lives in a refugee camp in eastern Ethiopia and told The Associated Press that she learned of her son's discharge from the hospital through the media.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

San Diego's three-term District Attorney -- facing her first re-election challenge -- is now under fire from her main rival in connection with a case her office prosecuted and lost several years ago.

The dustup involves un-released documents stemming from an investigation into Chula Vista city officials, after the then-mayor turned down a request by incumbent D.A. Bonnie Dumanis to back one of her key aides for a Council position.

"Was prosecutorial discretion in the Castaneda case being abused to further a political agenda?” Dumanis’ main rival, Bob Brewer, asked rhetorically at a Tuesday news conference across Broadway from Dumanis’ office in the Hall of Justice.

“Did politics replace the public interest in charging a citizen with a crime?" the former prosecutor-turned-defense attorney continued, referring to a criminal case Dumanis brought against then-Councilman Steve Castaneda.

In 2008, a jury acquitted Castaneda on six perjury charges and deadlocked on four other counts.

The trial deputy in the Castaneda case now supports Brewer, and his records recently came to light in the D.A.'s office.

Also at the downtown news media gathering was open government advocate and former City Councilwoman Donna Frye, who joined Brewer in demanding the release of the documents behind the Chula Vista investigations: "It's reasonable for the public to ask whether or not the authority of the District Attorney was being abused to further a political agenda."

Said Brewer: "I'm going to base my administration on public safety, without politics. And what we're talking about today is the type of politics that should never be present in a district attorney's office."

Dumanis faces a second challenger, retired deputy D.A. Terri Wyatt, who accuses both Brewer and Dumanis of being highly politicized.

"Bob Brewer is saying he will not be political, and yet he's holding a press conference today with Donna Frye by his side,” Wyatt said in an interview with NBC 7. “And I see him conducting his entire candidacy as a politician himself. He is equally as political as Bonnie Dumanis."

According to Wyatt, the Brewer-Dumanis matchup is dividing the D.A.’s office.

“Deputy D.A.'s are fighting against each other in a very horrific way,” she said. “It's sad to see that, and it's between the camps."

Dumanis' campaign did not offer interviews or “media availabilities" with her.

The response to all this came in an emailed statement from her strategist, Jennifer Tierney, that concluded: "The District Attorney won't be rushed to release these documents before they are properly reviewed because it might win a few votes. That would be the absolute definition of politics over public safety. She'll leave that to Bob Brewer."

Meantime, total fundraising in the race is approaching a million dollars, with money from Brewer backers outpacing Dumanis' by a 5-to-4 margin.

Even so, Dumanis' campaign says Brewer is polling 30 points behind the incumbent.

Wyatt's treasury is less than $20,000.

A convicted sex offender found guilty of sexual battery in Southern California was arrested by United States Border Patrol agents in Calexico, Calif., Tuesday after they say he tried to enter the U.S. illegally.

According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials, Mexican national Walter Inzunza Cervantes, 30, was arrested around 12:45 p.m. at the Calexico West Port of Entry. Border Patrol agents identified him as a convicted sex offender linked to a case in Riverside, Calif.

Officials said that in that sexual battery case, Inzunza Cervantes was sentenced to 123 days in jail. When he failed to register as a sex offender, he was ordered to serve additional time behind bars, officials said. He was removed from the U.S. in December 2013 and deported back to Mexico.

Inzunza Cervantes is currently in the custody of U.S. Border Patrol and will be prosecuted for re-entry after deportation.
 

Bullying in one Southern California city might soon be against the law after Carson city council members voted Tuesday night to move forward with an anti-bullying ordinance that makes it a crime.

Anyone caught harassing someone, from kindergarten up to the age of 25, could be charged with a misdemeanor if it is determined that bullying would lead to physical and mental harm to the subject being bullied, according to a proposed ordinance. The ordinance, which went before the Carson City Council for a first reading Tuesday night, would make the parent or guardian "responsible for the bullying acts of the child" if the adult knew about the act.

The violations can be charged as misdemeanors or infractions.

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"Bullying is such a hard topic because most people think it’s just something you grow up with, but that's not a part of growing up. When you're feeling worthless and not having somebody with you, that's not a part of growing up, it shouldn’t ever be either," anti-bullying advocate Jade Archer told NBC4 at Tuesday night’s meeting.

Harassment, as defined by the ordinance, will be considered "any conduct, whether verbal, physical, written or by means of any mode of communication" that causes a person to feel "terrorized, frightened, intimidated, threatened, harassed or molested and which serves no legitimate purpose."

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The ordinance cites studies and statistics to emphasize bullying’s detrimental effect on society. Both victims and perpetrators of bullying were found to be more likely to commit suicide than those who were not bullied, and suicide has been identified as the third leading cause of the death in teenagers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The new law also applies to cyberbullying – which includes "sending hurtful, rude and mean text messages" and "spreading rumors or lies about others by email or other social networks," as stated in the ordinance.

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"This is just a step in the right direction and it gives kids hope who are being bullied and who suffer in silence that you know what, they do care about us," Woodland Hills resident Vallerie Archer said. "(My daughter Jade and I have) been working with Carson for almost a year now and this is something we have passion in doing and we will continue to go everywhere to get this passed."

There are no federal laws that address bullying and cyberbullying, and California state law limits punishment for bullying to school discipline.

• Read: Carson Anti-Bullying Ordinance

The new law could go into effect in the city of Carson next month if it is approved at a second reading.

Editor's Note: An earlier verson of this story stated incorrectly that the ordinance was already in effect.

A year after more than 1,500 malnourished sea lion pups washed ashore along California beaches, scientists on Tuesday announced a shift in food sources is behind the epidemic.

During a teleconference, scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) revealed there was a shift in the spawning grounds of sardines, which are rich in fat and one of the sea lions' main sources of food.

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"The fish populations that sea lions are traditionally feeding off of in Southern California have actually moved to areas further away from those foraging areas for the sea lions," said Justin Viezbicke, the state stranding response network coordinator for NOAA.

Over the last 15 years, the spawning grounds for sardines have moved further and further off shore, scientists said.

By some estimates, the sardines were spawning 60 miles further offshore than previous years.The distance was too far for some sea lion mothers and their pups to reach.'

As a result, scientists said some sea lions fed on less "filling" prey and were not able to nurse their pups adequately.

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Scientists also ruled out other factors, including radiation and disease, which some speculated may have contributed to the spike in sea lion strandings.

While not nearly as high as the levels scientists saw in 2013, the number of sea lions pups being brought to rescue centers now is still higher than normal.

As of April, 650 california sea lions have been admitted to rescue centers across California. That's compared to 1,300 admitted last April.

Scientists say a normal level would be about 275 to 300 for the entire year.

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The Marine Mammal Care Center in San Pedro had more than 100 animals as of Tuesday and have admitted 300 animals since January.

The Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach is reporting similar numbers.

"This year, it's pretty much a mimic of last year," said Keith Matassa, the center's executive director. "We're concerned again this year because we are seeing an increase number of animals coming into our rehab center. And for the second year in a row, we're into triple digits in-house for patients.

Scientists say their findings are preliminary.

Firefighters battled a fire that began in an RV and spread to a home near I-15 and I-805 Wednesday.

Smoke and flames were first reported around 2 p.m. at 37th Street and Myrtle Avenue.

Firefighters arrived and found an RV on fire behind the home. Officials tell NBC 7 the fire spread to the main structure causing some damage.

An NBC 7 news crews was on the way to the scene.

Check back for updates on this developing story.

An email sent out over the weekend sparked an investigation into allegations that some students at an Orange County High School participated in an NFL-style draft where girls were selected as prom dates.

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Corona del Mar High School Principal Kathy Scott alerted parents in the email about the "rumor" of the "prom draft" happening on campus.

"While I have not yet been able to determine the authenticity of the rumor, I have reason to believe there is some merit to what I have heard," a part of the email read.

A group believed to be junior and senior boys allegedly involved in the plan may have detailed the alleged draft in a Twitter account.

Before the social media page was taken down, one tweet read, "many drafters on the prowl tomorrow for #freeagents so dress nice ladies."

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It’s unclear at this time if girls from the high school voluntarily participated in the alleged event.

Senior and junior boys bought tickets to the so-called draft.

Calls by NBC4 to the Newport-Mesa Unified School District were not returned before the publishing of this report.

Scott would not comment about the incident.

Word about the "prom draft" spread throughout the Orange County community Tuesday.

"Now your daughter is a commodity, she's no longer a person anymore," said Michael Shorey, whose daughter is a freshman at a neighboring school. "She’s being ranked and sold like an NFL player. It’s outrageous to think of."

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The alleged actions by the students were condemned by Scott in the email.

"It is not OK for any student to be objectified or judged in any way," Scott wrote.

She went on to ask for help from parents.

"I urge you to talk with your student(s) and discuss the seriousness of this type of activity," a part of the email read. “Prom is an important event in the lives of our students and I would hate to have to cancel it or any other important student related activity due to the negative actions of a few.”

As of Tuesday, the school’s prom was scheduled for June 7, according to its website.

Firefighters are working to clean up a hazardous material spill at Camino San Bernardo in 4S Ranch.

According to the Rancho Sante Fe Fire Department, several gallons of sulfuric acid from a battery spilled onto the street.

Camino San Bernardo between Camino Del Norte and Willow Court is currently closed as crews neutralize and clean up the spill.

No one was issued, and no evacuations were ordered.
 

A Walmart store in Oak Park has been the victim of armed robbery for the second time in six months.

On Tuesday night, shoppers at the Walmart on College Avenue, just north of State Route 94, rushed to the exits after a man fired three shots inside the store.

Jonathan Brown was shopping for shoes when he said he heard two gunshots. Then he saw a large crowd heading to the back of the store.

“People were falling over and stuff, really trying to get out really fast so I was like, this must be serious,” Brown said.

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Chaos followed with people running for the door, picking up their children and pushing and shoving each other to escape, he told NBC 7.

“It was just crazy, people were running everywhere," he said. 

"You can imagine a Walmart in San Diego, how busy that is," SDPD Lt. Paul Phillips said.

The suspect, described as a heavy-set African American man wearing a black shirt and jeans, walked into the store around 10 p.m., police said.

He went up to a cashier, took out a handgun and demanded money, witnesses told police. That's when he fired the weapon, they said. 

The suspect was last seen driving away in a silver Ford Mustang onto SR-94.

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Police officers and investigators from multiple divisions arrived to help process the scene for evidence and information.

"You can imagine how many witnesses there were," Phillips said.

San Diego police investigators say the surveillance video from the store is “very good.”

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Witness accounts point to three shots fired, but Phillips said evidence suggests there were two shots.

A similar crime took place at the same Walmart on Nov. 23, 2013. The male suspect demanded cash from the returns counter and fired one shot, officials said.

His getaway car was described as a gray Lexus or Mustang, similar to the vehicle involved in Tuesday's robbery.

Police have said not if the two crimes are connected.

Check back for updates on this developing story.

Rescue crews had to extract a driver trapped inside a car in Miramar Wednesday morning, according to the California Highway Patrol.

CHP issued a Sig Alert for southbound Interstate 15 at State Route 163. Officers also closed two lanes of traffic.

A vehicle struck a pole around 9:45 a.m. Wednesday, trapping the driver inside, according to CHP. Officials said firefighters pulled the driver from the car around 10:30 a.m. and transported that person to a local hospital.

There is no word yet on the extent of the victim's injuries. No other vehicles were involved in the crash.

All lanes of I-15 South were reopened just after 11 a.m.

Check back for updates.