Navy Man Who Was Gunned Down In La Mesa Identified

LA MESA, CA — Police Tuesday publicly identified a Navy man who was fatally shot over the weekend at his La Mesa home.

Cornelius Brown, 22, was shot by one of two unidentified men in ski masks who knocked at the front door of his apartment shortly before 12:30 a.m. Saturday in the 4300 block of Echo Court, according to the La Mesa Police Department.

"According to witnesses that were inside the apartment, the victim was shot when he answered an unexpected knock at the door," La Mesa police Lt. Greg Runge said.

Brown, a South Carolina native who was stationed at Naval Base Coronado, was rushed to Sharp Memorial Hospital in San Diego, where he died during surgery, Runge said.

The case remains under investigation. Anyone with information was asked to contact the department at 619-667-1400 or lamesatips@cityoflamesa.us. Tipsters can remain anonymous and call Crime Stoppers at 888-580-TIPS or visit sdcrimestoppers.com.