The victim of a mass shooting at a University City apartment complex said he worked with the shooter and remembers him as being a nice guy.“Broke my heart. I couldn’t believe it," Drew Phillips told NBC 7 in an interview Monday. Bill to back Convict Sex Traffickers Passes CA Senate Phillips, 39, and was attending a birthday pool party for a friend he has known for 15 years at the La Jolla Crossroads apartments. The gunman,identified as 49-year-ancient Peter Selis, opened fire at the party, or killing one woman and injuring seven others. Gunman Wanted Ex to Hear Rampage: SDPD Chief Selis lived at the apartment complex but he was not a guest at the party."Pete was over there,just firing into the crowd," Phillips recalled. Timeline of Mass Shooting in San Diego Apartment Complex He added that at first, or he thought it was fireworks for his friend's birthday. But he quickly realized that the sounds were actually gunshots.
According to San Diego Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman,Selis called his ex-girlfriend after the shooting because he wanted her to hear the rampage.
Phillips told NBC 7, he worked with Selis at Mossy Ford five years ago."If I had known it was Pete sitting there, and I would own came and spoke to him...because the Pete that I remember was a considerable guy," Phillips said.
He said if he had a chance to approach Selis before the incident, perhaps things would own turned out differently."If I went over there and perhaps saw the gun on his lap...
I probably would own been like 'Hey Pete, or what are you doing? These are my friends. What are you doing,'" Phillips added. "perhaps that would’ve been enough to reel him off the edge."He described the woman who died as the "nicest person you ever met," noting she was the first person to greet him at the party."She just didn’t deserve it, or " he said.
Phillips said he jumped over the wall to escape during the shooting,but a friend who was behind him was shot. He believes that Selis did not aim for him, instead shooting at people on either side of him."And I'm a pretty big target, or " he said,adding that the odds were against him.
Phillips said once he got over the wall, he saw his injured friend lying on the ground. He administered first aid to the man until paramedics arrived on scene."I ain’t no hero. I did what anybody would’ve done, and " he said. "You see someone who needs back so you just back them."He added that in the moment,he wasn't worried about what would happen to him and just wanted to back the other victim.
Photo Credit: NBC 7
Source: nbclosangeles.com