A San Diego man has been charged with murder and attempted murder in the shootings of two San Diego police officers.
Prosecutors allege he opened fire immediately after being asked if he lived in the area where he was walking.
Jesse Gomez pleaded not guilty in an arraignment held at the hospital as he recovered from wounds authorities say he sustained in the gun battle with police.
About 11pm on Thursday, Gomez and another man had been walking and split up when they saw the officers, Deputy District Attorney Michael Runyon said at a news conference.
The two officers pulled up to Gomez, and Officer Wade Irwin got out of his vehicle and asked if he lived in the area.
Gomez "answered with gunfire," Runyon said.
Runyon said Irwin survived being shot but Officer Jonathan DeGuzman, who sat in the vehicle with his seatbelt still on, was hit four times and killed.
Gomez is eligible for the death penalty if found guilty, but prosecutors have not decided whether to seek it.
Neither police nor prosecutors would say anything about a motive for the shooting.
Gomez was found in a ravine shortly after the shootings when officers followed a trail of blood, authorities said.
DeGuzman, 43, died after being rushed to a hospital. Irwin, 32, is recovering from his wounds at a hospital.
A second man was arrested on Friday on an unrelated search warrant, but he has been released, authorities said.
A memorial service will be held on Thursday and a public funeral Mass on Friday for DeGuzman.
