SAN MARCOS — A second victim of last week’s shooting in San Marcos has died after three days in the hospital, with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department on Monday confirming the identities of both victims as former San Marcos High School students.
Nicholas Tiefer, 20, of Vista was one of two victims discovered on Jan. 4 with gunshot wounds along Borden Road near Paloma Elementary. Tiefer was transported to the hospital in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the neck.
The Sheriff’s Department confirmed that he was pronounced dead on Jan. 7.
Tiefer’s death follows that of 19-year-old Jesus Garcia of San Marcos, who was pronounced dead on the day of the shooting after sustaining multiple gunshot wounds to the chest.
Tiefer was found in the passenger seat of a vehicle at the scene, while Garcia was found nearby on the ground. Sheriff’s officials said the motivation and circumstances of the crime are still under investigation.
The San Marcos Unified School District has confirmed that both Tiefer and Garcia were graduates of San Marcos High School.
A GoFundMe created by Tiefer’s family to help cover medical and funeral costs states that he was “a son, little brother, big brother, an all-star high school football player, a friend to everyone, and loved by his community.”
Garcia, whose family has also set up a GoFundMe, was described as “a loving son, brother, uncle, and friend. Even at the young age of 19, he was the kind of person who would help others. If you needed him to pick you up from the airport or even a city an hour away he would be there.”
His family stated that he was also a huge soccer fan who played on the San Marcos United Soccer and San Marcos Revolution Soccer teams, as well as the San Marcos High School volleyball team.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Homicide Unit at 858-285-6330 during business hours or 858-565-5200 after hours. Individuals can also contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at 888-580-8477.
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