Argument sparks shooting on Cowles Mountain trail; woman arrested
Mar 30, 2025
A woman opened fire on other hikers but did not injure anyone Sunday morning on the popular Cowles Mountain trail in San Diego’s San Carlos neighborhood, police said.
Officers took the woman into custody on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and unlawfully carrying a concealed firearm, San
Diego police Officer John Buttle said, adding that the weapon was an un-serialized “ghost gun.”
The shooting was reported around 10:45 a.m. on the heavily trafficked trail that’s part of Mission Trails Regional Park. It was unclear exactly where on the mountain that the shooting occurred. Buttle said officers responded to the main trailhead off Golfcrest Drive and Navajo Road.
Police believe some sort of dispute or argument sparked the shooting. Buttle said the woman pulled the gun out of her fanny pack and fired at people above her on the trail.
The woman’s name and age were not available Sunday night.
With an elevation of nearly 1,600 feet, Cowles Mountain is the highest point in the city of San Diego. Hundreds of people summit the mountain each day, though weekends are particularly busy on the 3-mile roundtrip trail.
Staff reporter Alexandra Mendoza contributed to this story. ...read more read less