Police say four men drove themselves to hospitals after gunfire outside businesses on Lincoln Avenue; one victim later died.
SAN JOSE, CA — One man was killed and three others were hurt after shots were fired around 3 a.m. Sunday on the 2200 block of Lincoln Avenue in the Willow Glen neighborhood, police said. Officers found evidence of gunfire but no victims at the scene; the four men later arrived at area hospitals.
Police said the men’s wounds ranged from minor to life-threatening. By about 2 p.m. Sunday, one of the victims was pronounced dead at a hospital. Family members on Monday identified him as 25-year-old Elijah Dominguez of San Jose. The shooting closed a stretch of Lincoln Avenue for hours as homicide detectives processed a parking lot near storefronts, including a hookah lounge, and collected shell casings and other evidence. Investigators have not announced arrests, and the motive remains under investigation.
Officers were dispatched just before 3 a.m. after callers reported multiple gunshots near Lincoln and Curtner avenues. When they arrived, officers saw signs of a shooting — including a damaged storefront door — but no victims. Shortly afterward, hospitals reported four men with gunshot wounds had self-transported. Police towed a white BMW from the block as part of the inquiry and kept crime-scene tape up into the afternoon while a mobile crime lab worked the area. “That doesn’t usually happen here,” said longtime resident Tom Aylett. “I’m still shocked.”
On Monday, police said two of the wounded men had injuries not considered life-threatening, while a third remained in critical condition. Dominguez, identified by relatives, did not survive. Security video from a nearby business captured dozens of people running north on Lincoln Avenue at 2:52 a.m. Minutes later, a group got into what appeared to be a black vehicle and left before officers arrived around 2:58 a.m., according to the footage reviewed by neighbors. MJ Freeman, who lives nearby, said she heard five or six shots. Investigators were also seen checking a rear parking lot and gathering evidence markers behind the businesses.
Willow Glen, a neighborhood known for its small-business corridor and weekend foot traffic, rarely sees late-night violence on this scale, shop workers said. “It’s quite unfortunate,” said Edgar Vazquez of a hardware store a block away. “This area here seems to be pretty calm most of the time.” The killing is the city’s 25th homicide of the year, according to police figures cited Monday, following a period of heightened attention on gun violence in San Jose after separate incidents in recent weeks, including a Black Friday shooting at Westfield Valley Fair. Records show Lincoln Avenue between Franquette and Curtner often hosts nightlife crowds on weekends, with several restaurants and lounges open late.
Detectives with the homicide unit are leading the case. The Santa Clara County Medical Examiner-Coroner will make the official identification and determine cause and manner of death. Police did not release suspect information Monday and did not say how many shooters they believe were involved. Investigators were reviewing surveillance video from nearby businesses, canvassing for witnesses who were in the area between 2:45 and 3 a.m. Sunday, and tracing any recovered shell casings. Authorities did not immediately say what type of firearm was used. No arrests had been announced as of Monday evening.
By late Monday, the block had reopened to traffic, but remnants of the investigation were visible: a boarded door, chalk outlines around evidence locations, and candle wax from a small sidewalk memorial. Neighbors described being awakened by sharp, rapid pops and a short burst of shouting. “It makes you a little afraid that this isn’t the nice place we thought,” Freeman said. Others walking dogs in the morning slowed to look at the taped-off lot and the police truck parked beside a barber shop and the hookah lounge. Aylett said officers went door to door asking who had heard or seen anything before dawn.
As of Monday night, police said the motive remained unknown and that the investigation was active. Officials did not release updates on the conditions of the three surviving victims beyond earlier statements that two had non-life-threatening injuries and one remained in critical condition. The next formal update is expected after the coroner’s office completes identification and notifies the family, and when detectives determine whether they can release suspect details or arrest information.
Author note: Last updated December 9, 2025.