A 23-year-old San Diego man was shot and killed by an unknown suspect in downtown San Diego’s East Village early Wednesday, homicide detectives confirmed.

San Diego Police Department (SDPD) acting Lt. Manny Del Toro, head of the Homicide Unit, said shots were fired around 12:10 a.m. in the 1700 block of Island Avenue and 17th Street.

When officers arrived, they found victim Derion Elias White unconscious, suffering from a gunshot wound to his upper body. White was not able to survive his injuries and died at the scene, police said.

According to Del Toro, detectives learned White was entering a car occupied by his girlfriend and a friend when an unknown man walked up to him and fired two gunshots, hitting White at least once.

The shooting suspect quickly fled and was last seen running southbound in the 400 block of 17th Street.

The SDPD said, at this point, the suspect’s identity is unknown. He’s described as approximately 6 feet tall, with a thin build. He may have worn his hair in dreadlocks, one witness told police. He was wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt and dark pants at the time of the deadly shooting.

As of 6:45 a.m. Wednesday, the suspect remained at large. Anyone with information on this case can contact the SDPD’s Homicide Unit at (619) 531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.