SAN FRANCISCO -- The victim of a fatal shooting in San Francisco's South of Market neighborhood Wednesday morning has been identified as 19-year-old Peter Perez of Daly City, according to the office of the San Francisco Medical Examiner.

Perez is the city's 25th homicide victim this year.

Police found the fatally injured Perez and two companions around 4:15 a.m. in a sport utility vehicle stopped on Mississippi Street near Cesar Chavez Street after receiving a report of a suspicious vehicle in the area, Sgt. Neville Gittens said.

It appears one of the SUV's tires had blown out, preventing the group from driving further, Gittens said.

Police believe Perez's friends may have been trying to drive him to the hospital. San Francisco General Hospital is a short distance away from the quiet Potrero Hill street where the SUV was found.

Perez appears to have been shot in the head shortly before he was found while in the vehicle with his companions at Sixth and Natoma streets, several miles away, according to police.

Officers responding to reports of shots fired at that South of Market location found only bullet casings at the scene, Gittens said.

Police have not reported on any motive for the shooting and are not reporting any suspect information.