San Diego police said Thursday that investigators have determined the manner of death of a University of San Diego student, who was fatally struck by an SDPD patrol vehicle near the school the evening prior.
The 20-year-old student, who was not identified, was struck by the westbound patrol vehicle around 1:30 a.m. Wednesday on Linda Vista Road near Goshen Street, in an area with student housing. He died in a hospital hours later, SDPD spokesperson Lt. Cesar Jimenez said.
About 24 hours after the crash, San Diego police announced they determined the death was a suicide, “Based on the evidence collected and witness statements obtained during the investigation.”
The student intentionally stepped in front of the police vehicle, police said, and due to the sensitive nature of the incident, no further details would be released.
The crash was investigated by SDPD’s Traffic Unit and Collision Investigations Bureau. Initially, the investigators said the circumstances of the crash were unclear.
The officer who struck the student said he felt an impact, turned his vehicle around and saw the 20-year-old lying in the roadway, Jimenez said. He and other first responders attempted to revive the student.
The University of San Diego confirmed in a statement the individual was a student.
“The University of San Diego campus community is deeply saddened by the tragic loss of one of our students who was struck early this morning by a vehicle near the campus,” a statement said.
The officer involved was not injured.
Anyone with information on the case was asked to call police at (858) 495-7800.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or chat live at 988lifeline.org. You can also visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional support.
