Anglers Sprayed by Shotgun Blasts

A man and woman fishing off Hospitality Point in Mission Bay were sprayed with shotgun pellets Saturday night by the occupants of a car and truck that sped away after the shooting.

Michael Smith, 31, was hit in the arms, stomach, chest and legs nine times. Diane McPherson, 29, was hit twice in the face. Both were taken to Sharp Cabrillo Hospital, where they were released after treatment.

Smith and McPherson told San Diego police they were sitting in the 2500 block of Quivera Court when they heard shots, felt a stinging sensation and realized they had been hit. A gray Datsun and red Mazda pickup sped away, with Asian and Latino men inside, they said.

Police said Smith and McPherson may have been the unintended victims of a gang attack.

“This case appears to be that two people ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time,” police spokesman Bill Robinson said. “As the weather gets warmer, we see more gang-related activities along Mission Bay.”

City officials in recent years have become so concerned over gang activity on Mission Bay that they have ordered parking lots closed during evening hours.