Homicide on Mission Beach causes worry

USD students react

Liz Buckley / The USD Vista

21-year-old Christopher Ross Connor was found dead in his Mission Beach apartment at 12:28 a.m. on Nov. 16.
Police have arrested neighbor Brandon Callanan, 29, who allegedly visited the victim and was involved in a fatal altercation with him. According to authorities no weapon appears to have been used, although autopsy results have not been released. As of press time, Callanan is being held in prison, without bail, on the suspicion of murder.

The apartment, 2620 Bayside Lane, by Niantic Court, is close to home for many USD students who live at Mission Beach.

“I live near the scene of the murder. In some ways this news is surprising. That part of Mission Beach is very quiet; it seems safe. However, there isn’t really a strong sense of community. Neighbors don’t really ever see each other, and rarely get to know each other,” senior Tom Nash, who lives on Sunset Court said. “It reflects that Mission Beach is still kind of a weird place behind closed doors.”

Many students may remember the October crimes of 2006, when four USD students were involved in a robbery and sexual assault that resulted in life in prison for the three men convicted.

Although the most recent incident did not directly involve a USD student, it does bring up the question of how safe it is to live at the beach. From January to September 2008, the San Diego Police Department has recorded one murder, six rapes and 52 burglaries in Mission Beach, according to their website.

Senior Erica Falkner, who lives on Tangiers said, “I know all of my neighbors, and I feel very secure living at the beach. I know that risks are applied to living here, but there are risks in living anywhere.”

Chief Larry Barnett, assistant vice president for Public Safety recommends that students visit the San Diego website and familiarize themselves with the Safety Tips and Off-Campus Living Guide. Barnett also stressed that Public Safety offers free Rape Aggression Defense classes. For more information call 619-260-7587.
“It is important to be aware that violent crimes do happen, even in Mission Beach,” Barnett said.