A former San Diego television journalist, Ricardo Berron, has been arrested and charged with two counts of assault with a deadly weapon following two separate shootings on Palomar Mountain. Prosecutors are pursuing hate crime enhancements, as both victims reported being asked about their ethnicity before being shot.
The first incident occurred on October 6, 2025, when Joseph Valentino was shot in the arm after identifying as Mexican. The second victim was approached on February 23, asked about his ethnicity, and shot at through his car window, but was unharmed.
Authorities found a 9mm handgun at Berron's home in Chula Vista, believed to be linked to at least one of the shootings. Berron has since been released on bail.
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