Ten minutes after Travis Sarreshteh’s ex-girlfriend told him — again — that it was over, the shooting started in nearby Gaslamp Quarter.
A 28-year-old parking valet was killed. Three New Jersey tourists were shot, as was a fourth man in an April 2021 shooting spree authorities said was unprovoked.
On Thursday, four months after a San Diego Superior Court jury found Sarreshteh guilty of murder, attempted murder and more, Judge Evin Kirvin sentenced him to 175 years to life in prison, plus four more life terms. Are you sure about the spelling of the judge’s name?
Sarreshteh did not appear to react, but the victims and their families breathed a collective sigh in the courtroom. Moments earlier, several of them spoke of their pain and loss as they asked that Sarreshteh receive a lengthy sentence.
“You took away one of the true loves of my life for no good reason,” Denise Boldin said to Sarreshteh. “You’ve hurt me, you’ve hurt everybody that is sitting here, and you’ve ruined your own life. I hope you’re happy.”
Justice Boldin, her 28-year-old son, was the first victim.
About 10:30 p.m. on April 22, 2021, Boldin was outside Pendry San Diego hotel on J Street, working his new job as a parking valet. Authorities said Sarreshteh walked up and opened fire on Boldin, without provocation. A witness said that Boldin fell to the ground and asked why he’d been shot — and the gunman shot him again, this time fatally.
The shooter then walked about a block north up Fifth Avenue, barged through a group of tourists near Island Avenue, and again opened fire. Three New Jersey men in their 20s and a San Diego man in his late 60s were wounded.
Two bystanders followed Sarreshteh, tackling him on Fifth Avenue near G Street and holding him until police arrived.
Two of the New Jersey men attended Sarreshteh’s sentencing, including Vincent Gazzani, who was shot in the back, and the bullet exited through his chest.
Vincent Gazzani speaks in San Diego Superior Court on Thursday at the sentencing of Travis Sarreshteh, who shot parking valet Justice Boldin in the Gaslamp Quarter and four others, including Gazzani, on April 2021. Boldin died.
(Adriana Heldiz/The San Diego Union-Tribune)
“Three-quarters of an inch,” Gazzani said at the start of his statement to the judge Thursday. “I was three-quarters of an inch from losing my life for absolutely no reason and no fault of mine.”
At Sarreshteh’s preliminary hearing, Gazzani said he and three friends were vacationing, walking along Fifth and headed back to the hotel when they encountered a “disgruntled man” who yelled at them to get out of his way. He passed them, accused the group of laughing at him, then opened fire.
Two of his friends were shot in the arm. Another man who was not part of the group of vacationers was also shot.