Former TV News Reporter Arrested After Palomar Mountain Shootings Investigation

A former television news reporter has been arrested in connection with two shootings in San Diego County that investigators say may have been motivated by race, as reported by The New York Post.

Ricardo Berron, a former on-air reporter for the Spanish-language networks Univision and Telemundo, was taken into custody on March 10 at San Diego International Airport as he was preparing to leave for a vacation, according to authorities.

Following his arrest, Berron briefly addressed the allegations when speaking outside his home in Chula Vista.

Palomar Mountain shooting suspect is a local TV journalist
He has been released on bail.

A San Diego television journalist is facing possible hate crime charges after investigators say he shot at two men in separate incidents on Palomar Mountain and targeted them because of… pic.twitter.com/F9nRZciSnk

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“Pretty soon everything will be cleared up,” Ricardo Berron told the California Post at his $900,000 home, where he lives with his wife and children.

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Berron, 46, is a married father of five. The four-bedroom, two-bathroom home sits at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac approximately 11 miles from downtown San Diego. The property measures about 1,700 square feet.

Law enforcement officials say Berron is facing potential hate crime charges connected to two separate shootings involving Hispanic victims on Palomar Mountain, located about 67 miles north of Chula Vista.

Authorities believe the same suspect was involved in both incidents.

Investigators allege Berron targeted the victims because of their ethnicity.

Sgt. Evan Sobczak of the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department told Fox 5 that investigators are examining whether the attacks were motivated by bias.

“This could possibly be motivated by hate. Both victims in these cases were Hispanic, and there were statements made by the suspect, something similar to ‘are you Hispanic’ prior to shooting at them,” Sobczak said.

After identifying Berron as a suspect, investigators obtained a search warrant and searched his home. During the search, authorities recovered a 9-millimeter handgun that they believe was used in at least one of the shootings.

According to investigators, the most recent incident occurred on Feb. 23 on Palomar Mountain.

The victim was parked along a dirt shoulder near the summit while stargazing when he was approached by a suspect armed with a gun.

During the encounter, a single shot was fired through the driver’s side window while the victim remained seated inside the vehicle.

The suspect then fled the scene. The victim was not injured in the incident.

Authorities later connected that event to a similar shooting that occurred months earlier on Oct. 6.

In the earlier incident, another victim was parked in the area enjoying the view when he was confronted by a gunman.

The victim, identified as Joseph, told investigators he attempted to plead with the suspect not to shoot.

Joseph told Fox 5:

“At that point, I saw him zero in and aim for my head. I instinctively turned to the right. I heard the shot and the shot came through the window, missed my face, and caught my arm.”

According to Joseph, the suspect asked whether he was Mexican before firing the shot that struck him in the arm after shattering the vehicle window.

Joseph said the gunman fired again as he attempted to drive away, with a second bullet striking the vehicle’s rear passenger tire.

Investigators collected forensic evidence from the October shooting that later helped identify a suspect.

Authorities allege that evidence ultimately led them to Berron.

Following the arrest, Berron’s wife denied the allegations when speaking to the outlet.

Berron has since been released on bail and is scheduled to appear in court on March 17.

The California Post reported that Berron’s attorney has been contacted for comment.

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