Detectives arrest Ramona man for neighbor’s shotgun death

Tuesday, Feb. 26—

A Ramona man was arrested today on suspicion of fatally shooting another man over a pot deal five months ago.

Homicide detectives and a SWAT team took 52-year-old Miles Lockhart into custody at his home in the 1300 block of Walnut Street about 6 a.m., sheriff’s Capt. Duncan Fraser said.

On the afternoon of Sept. 16, Lockhart allegedly opened fire with a shotgun on fellow Ramona resident Shane Tatro, 38. The victim suffered a wound to his abdomen and died at Palomar Medical Center in Escondido several hours later.

The captain declined to say who allegedly was selling cannabis that day and who was buying.

According to homicide Lt. Glenn Giannantonio, Tatro went to Lockhart’s home about 3 p.m. and soon got into an argument with him.

The confrontation turned physical, at which point Lockhart’s two adult sons got involved, with one of them retrieving the shotgun and ordering Tatro to leave, the lieutenant said.

Tatro refused to go, and Lockhart eventually took the firearm from his son, he said. The father told investigators the shotgun discharged during a “tug of war” with Tatro for control of the weapon, Giannantonio said.

Lockhart and his sons gave statements that the shooting was in self-defense or an accident, the lieutenant said, adding that all three told detectives they had never met Tatro before.