Salinas Shooting Leaves 16-Year-Old Man Dead

SALINAS - Police in Salinas are investigating a Monday night shooting that left a 16-year-old dead.

Officers responded at 9:40 p.m. to several 911 calls about a shooting and a victim down in the 800 block of Garner Avenue.

Officers arrived to find 16-year-old Jose Luis Valdez suffering from at least one gunshot wound, police said. Valdez was transported to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

Investigators determined Valdez had recently left a nearby residence and was walking to meet friends when he was confronted by at least two suspects with handguns. The suspects fire several rounds, striking Valdez as he tried to run to safety, police said.

Police said this is the ninth homicide of the year in Salinas and is being investigated as gang-related.

An apartment complex located at 850 Garner Ave. was struck several times by the gunfire.

Police said one of the rounds went through an exterior wall and into an occupied apartment. The bullet traveled through a couch and a pillow and struck a 12-year-old boy in the hand, police said.

The bullet caused a minor wound that medical personnel were able to treat at the scene.

Another bullet struck a water main for the apartment complex causing one apartment to flood, and at least one other apartment was struck with bullets, police said.

Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call the Salinas Police Department at (831) 758-7132.

-Bay City News, image via ShutterStock