US: transit mechanic shoots 2, is killed by police

A mechanic at a bus depot in downtown San Diego shot a co-worker to death and critically injured another early Tuesday before being killed by police, authorities said.

After finishing his shift around 2 a.m., the Metropolitan Transit System worker walked into a lounge area and shouted "nobody's going to leave" before heading out to a parking lot and firing several shots, police Capt. Jim Collins said.

Arriving officers found a dead man on the ground at the facility and the mechanic holding a handgun at his side. He ignored repeated demands to drop the weapon and used his other hand to make a cell phone call, Lt. Kevin Rooney said.

"When the call ended, he started to raise the gun at the officers and they shot him," Rooney said.

Three officers fired their weapons.

Rooney said the officers were not close enough to hear what the man said during the phone call, and investigators were trying to find out who the gunman called.

After the gunman was shot, employees alerted officers to a second victim who was critically wounded in an office. The injured man was taken to a hospital and placed on life support, Rooney said.

Neither the gunman's nor the victims' names were immediately released.

Rooney said investigators have "some indication" of the motive for the shooting, but he declined to elaborate.

At the time of the shooting, about 10 other employees were working at the facility near the Petco Park baseball stadium.

The transit system bus and rail services to the 3 million residents of San Diego County.