Editor’s note: This article has been updated to reflect a more detailed statement from police describing the attack as unprovoked.
SAN DIEGO — A man was shoved toward the tracks and killed by an oncoming train in an unprovoked attack at the Old Town trolley station Saturday morning, according to police.
Around 6:15 a.m., trolley security called police to let them know there was a man down on the platform at the station off Taylor Street near Pacific Highway, San Diego Police Department said in a news release.
Detectives learned that two men had just exited a trolley and were walking on the platform when one of them pushed the other into the passing freight train. “While it is still early in the investigation,” authorities said, it appears the attack came “without provocation.”
Officers and paramedics arrived to confirm the man had been killed. He was identified but his name has not been released to the public.
The man who shoved the victim into the train got on a trolley and left the area, SDPD said. He was described as a “light-skinned male,” around five feet, eight inches tall with a thin build, wearing all black clothing.
There was surveillance video of the attack that police were hoping to use to track down the suspect, Lt. Andra Brown told OnScene TV.
“We’re very hopeful that we will have a resolution to this case,” Brown said. “Anyone with information, we ask that they call the San Diego Police Department or Crime Stoppers. They can remain anonymous if they wish.”
You can reach the SDPD Homicide Unit at 619-531-2293 and Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.
Train service was shut down at the station Saturday morning while police investigated, but it was back to normal by 12:30 p.m., according to North County Transit.