A 43-year-old West San Jose man fatally shot his former girlfriend in a busy shopping center parking lot Tuesday morning before turning the gun on himself, according to San Jose police.
Officers were called around 11:38 a.m. to the parking lot of the El Paseo de Saratoga shopping center, near Saratoga and Campbell avenues, for reports of a shooting. When they arrived, they found an adult man and an adult woman on the ground, each suffering from at least one gunshot wound.
Medical personnel pronounced both victims dead at the scene despite efforts to save them. Police recovered a firearm in the parking lot, which investigators say was used in the shooting, according to CBS News.
Homicide detectives later identified the gunman as 43-year-old Edgard Altamirano. The victim is a 24-year-old woman whose name has not yet been released, pending notification of her family.
Investigators determined that Altamirano and the woman had previously been in a dating relationship that ended several months ago. Police say Altamirano confronted her in the parking lot and shot her multiple times before turning the gun on himself.
One witness told local media he heard roughly seven gunshots during the incident. The shooting happened in front of businesses at the center, including near a European Wax Center, as shoppers and workers were nearby, KTVU reported.
San Jose police said early evidence indicates the attack was targeted and described it as an isolated incident with no ongoing threat to the public. Portions of the parking lot were closed for several hours as detectives collected evidence and interviewed witnesses.
The killing has been classified as San Jose's fourth homicide of 2026. Detectives are still working to determine the motive and the events that led up to the confrontation.
Police are asking anyone with information to contact the San Jose Police Department's Homicide Unit and reference the case tied to the February 24 shooting at El Paso de Saratoga. Tipsters can also provide information anonymously through crime stopper lines listed by the department, as per ABC7 News.
