Arrest made in fatal shooting of 18-year-old Navy sailor in East Village

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — A suspect has been taken into custody in connection to the August 2024 shooting death of an 18-year-old Navy sailor in San Diego’s East Village, authorities announced Thursday.

Ta’Kari Terell Benness, 20, was located and arrested in Minnesota on Wednesday morning, according to the San Diego Police Department. He was taken into custody on suspicion of shooting the victim, Albert Soto, on Aug. 31.

The incident began unfolding shortly before 1 a.m., when police received calls reporting a shots fired in the area of 9th and F streets. An officer working in the area also heard the shots and responded to the intersection.

Authorities located Soto on the ground, suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Soto is from Queens, New York, but was a sailor in the U.S. Navy stationed in San Diego.

Homicide detectives determined the victim and his friends had been involved in an altercation with a group of men inside a local nightclub, the department explained. Both groups left the club via separate exits, but the arguing reportedly continued outside.

That was until shots rang out at the intersection where the victim was found.

The suspect group consisted of four men that were last seen running eastbound on F Street, police said. Homicide investigators have since identified each of these men through a combination of public and private security footage, license plate readers and witness interviews.

Benness was identified by authorities as the suspected shooter in the case, which ultimately led to his arrest.

An investigation into this deadly shooting remains ongoing. Anyone with information regarding this case is encouraged to call the Homicide Unit at 619-531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.

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