2 Die in Fiery Gun Battle in Hunt for Gem Heist Suspects

SAN DIEGO — Two people were killed Friday during a fiery gun battle as police attempted to arrest suspects from a bold jewelry robbery last week at a Saks Fifth Avenue store in the city’s Mission Valley district, officials said.

When police tried to arrest two suspects at a home in National City, a brief gun battle broke out and police shot tear gas into the home, which ignited, as did a palm tree.

A man and woman were found dead in the house, but police were not sure if they died in the gun battle, the fire or by suicide.

In all, 10 people were detained at several locations and two of those were arrested in connection with the robbery in which display cases were smashed and jewels looted while customers and employees were held at gunpoint.

A security camera in the store revealed that black-clad men armed with semiautomatic weapons carried out the heist. They escaped in two cars with an undisclosed amount of jewelry.

“There were four people that you saw in the videotape, but many times there may be other players who are waiting, or involved in the implementation of the robbery,” said police spokesman Bill Robinson.

No other homes were damaged in the fire, which broke out in a working class neighborhood about 11 miles south of downtown San Diego. Resident Sam Antonio, 27, said he was awakened by the sound of gunshots. He hit the floor and crawled to get his father in the next room.

“I saw officers with handguns drawn returning fire,” he said.