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Gang violence in Salinas continued Wednesday with a brazen, mid-afternoon shooting that left five teenagers wounded - including a 16-year-old girl injured when a fleeing car struck her on Williams Road.
Four men have been arrested in the crime.
At 3:15 p.m., a gold, four-door Honda carrying four boys was headed west on Williams Road at Bardin Road, police said. A sport-utility vehicle pulled alongside it in the left lane, they said, and fired a number of shots into it, striking the 19-year-old driver and two 17-year-old passengers in the back seat.
Witnesses at the scene told police a dark sedan was also involved.
The Honda's driver attempted to flee, police said, losing control of the vehicle and driving onto the sidewalk opposite the Cesar Chavez Library at the northwest corner of the intersection. The Honda struck a 16-year-old girl standing on the corner, then crashed into a large light pole, injuring the fifth teenager - a 19-year-old front passenger.
Two of the shooting victims were flown to San Jose hospitals and another to Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital for treatment, police said. The girl was taken by ambulance to Natividad Medical Center in Salinas, they said, as was the front passenger, who received minor wounds.
Four men arrested
About 3:26 p.m., Sgt. Matt Luther of the Monterey County Sheriff's office was en route to his station when he saw a speeding SUV and sedan that matched the descriptions from the crime scene, police said. Luther attempted to stop them, but police said the vehicles fled onto Vera Cruz Circle, about a mile and a half north of the shooting site.
While the two men in the sedan surrendered, two men in the SUV fled on foot, according to a police report. The Monterey County Sheriff's helicopter was called to assist as responding officers conducted a house-by-house search for them. At 4:42 p.m., police and deputies found the men hiding in a back-yard shed on the 1300 block of Palmera Avenue.
Two of the men arrested are 19, police said; the others are 20. All four men were arrested in connection with the shooting, said Salinas Police Cmd. Kelly McMillin.
Wednesday's shooting came just hours after a fatal shooting near Hartnell College. Two brothers, ages 17 and 14, were shot. The 17-year-old died, bringing the total number of homicides in Salinas this year to five.
Salinas Mayor Dennis Donohue, who went to the scenes of both shootings, said he was frustrated by the violence.
"Frankly, right now, part of me is pretty mad," Donohue said. "I'm disgusted and angered at the senselessness of the violence. But it made me more determined to work with all the folks of good will in this community to keep going. We're not giving up."
'A usual thing, here'
Donohue has led a campaign to bring peace to the city during his tenure as mayor.
After Wednesday's shooting, several area schools were locked down, but many students had already left. Some who walked by the scene said they were frightened, but not surprised.
"It always happens," said a 14-year-old girl who lives on Williams Road. "It's like a usual thing, here."
The girl argued she isn't scared by the violence, saying her secret is to just not think about it.
But a 16-year-old friend interrupted her to say she does have fear.
"I'm scared to leave my apartment," she said. "I'm afraid that they'll get me."
Contact María Inés Zamudio at [email protected]
Gang violence in Salinas continued Wednesday with a brazen, mid-afternoon shooting that left five teenagers wounded - including a 16-year-old girl injured when a fleeing car struck her on Williams Road.
Four men have been arrested in the crime.
At 3:15 p.m., a gold, four-door Honda carrying four boys was headed west on Williams Road at Bardin Road, police said. A sport-utility vehicle pulled alongside it in the left lane, they said, and fired a number of shots into it, striking the 19-year-old driver and two 17-year-old passengers in the back seat.
Witnesses at the scene told police a dark sedan was also involved.
The Honda's driver attempted to flee, police said, losing control of the vehicle and driving onto the sidewalk opposite the Cesar Chavez Library at the northwest corner of the intersection. The Honda struck a 16-year-old girl standing on the corner, then crashed into a large light pole, injuring the fifth teenager - a 19-year-old front passenger.
Two of the shooting victims were flown to San Jose hospitals and another to Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital for treatment, police said. The girl was taken by ambulance to Natividad Medical Center in Salinas, they said, as was the front passenger, who received minor wounds.
Four men arrested
About 3:26 p.m., Sgt. Matt Luther of the Monterey County Sheriff's office was en route to his station when he saw a speeding SUV and sedan that matched the descriptions from the crime scene, police said. Luther attempted to stop them, but police said the vehicles fled onto Vera Cruz Circle, about a mile and a half north of the shooting site.
While the two men in the sedan surrendered, two men in the SUV fled on foot, according to a police report. The Monterey County Sheriff's helicopter was called to assist as responding officers conducted a house-by-house search for them. At 4:42 p.m., police and deputies found the men hiding in a back-yard shed on the 1300 block of Palmera Avenue.
Two of the men arrested are 19, police said; the others are 20. All four men were arrested in connection with the shooting, said Salinas Police Cmd. Kelly McMillin.
Wednesday's shooting came just hours after a fatal shooting near Hartnell College. Two brothers, ages 17 and 14, were shot. The 17-year-old died, bringing the total number of homicides in Salinas this year to five.
Salinas Mayor Dennis Donohue, who went to the scenes of both shootings, said he was frustrated by the violence.
"Frankly, right now, part of me is pretty mad," Donohue said. "I'm disgusted and angered at the senselessness of the violence. But it made me more determined to work with all the folks of good will in this community to keep going. We're not giving up."
'A usual thing, here'
Donohue has led a campaign to bring peace to the city during his tenure as mayor.
After Wednesday's shooting, several area schools were locked down, but many students had already left. Some who walked by the scene said they were frightened, but not surprised.
"It always happens," said a 14-year-old girl who lives on Williams Road. "It's like a usual thing, here."
The girl argued she isn't scared by the violence, saying her secret is to just not think about it.
But a 16-year-old friend interrupted her to say she does have fear.
"I'm scared to leave my apartment," she said. "I'm afraid that they'll get me."
Contact María Inés Zamudio at [email protected]