Attacks on the homeless in Oceanside leave 2 dead, one wounded

OCEANSIDE, Calif. (CNS) - The Oceanside Police Department announced Tuesday that it has increased patrols in parts of the city frequented by homeless individuals due to three recent assaults on unsheltered people -- including two homicides over the last several days.

The victims of the fatal attacks, described only as male, were discovered late Sunday morning in the San Luis Rey riverbed west of Interstate 5 and on Saturday afternoon near a stretch of railroad tracks in the area of Oceanside Boulevard and South Coast Highway, according to an OPD statement.

The victims, whose names have not been released, had suffered blunt-force injuries, police said.

The other recent assault on a homeless person in the northern San Diego County city — a stabbing being investigated as an attempted murder — was reported at about 4:15 a.m. on Sept. 18.

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Investigators have yet to identity the assailant or assailants responsible for the attacks, and it remains unclear if the crimes are related, according to the OPD.

In addition to increasing their presence in sections of the city where the homeless tend to congregate and camp, OPD foot-patrol officers are contacting unsheltered people to advise them of the recent attacks and provide support resources, according to the department statement.

Anyone who might have information pertinent to investigations into the assaults was asked to contact Detective Sergeant David Estrada at 760-435- 4698 or destrada@oceansideca.org.

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