Salinas Police officers cleared in 2013 shooting

Friday the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office announced it has completed its review of the July 2013 officer involved shooting of high ranking gang member Juan Acuna.

The District Attorney’s Office said it will not charge any of the officers with a crime because it ruled the officers acted in self-defense and in the defense of others.

In early July 2013, the Monterey County Gang Task Force set up an operation to arrest wanted parolees, including Juan Acuna. Acuna had either been a suspect, arrested, or mentioned in a number of crimes including homicide, robbery, gun possession and participating in a criminal street gang.

The GTF knew Acuna and said he was a Sureno gang member and also known to be a high ranking member associating with the Mexican Mafia.

On July 26, 2013 GTF got intel that Acuna was staying at the Vagabond Inn on Kern St. Officers saw Acuna leave the motel and tried to make contact with him, but Acuna ran.

The District Attorney’s Office said that every officer chasing Acuna at one point or another gave serveral commands to drop the two weapons they saw him carrying in each hand, instead officers said Acuna pointed the guns at the officers. As the pursuit continued, investigators say an undercover officer was able to position his car behind Acuna; at that point Acuna turned and fired shots at the car. The car knocked Acuna to the ground but officers say he maintained possession of the two guns.

Investigators said officers surrounded Acuna at that point and again repeated the commands to drop his weapon, however they said he then began to taunt the officers to kill him, pointing the guns at his head and chest.

The DA’s Office then said that after the incident that had just transpired, when Acuna started t point his gun again at the officers, they opened fire.

DA investigators said that not only were the officers in danger, but there were several people and businesses with employees still inside near the incident that Friday evening, and that Acuna presented a clear danger to their safety as well.

Toxicology reports indicate Acuna had a BAC level of 0.06% and a possibly toxic level of meth in his system.

Salinas Police Chief Kelly McMillin responded to the DA decision Friday saying “Any use of deadly force by law enforcement is tragic for all parties involved; however, as is the case here, deadly force is sometimes necessary to protect the public from very dangerous people. The Salinas Police Department is satisfied with the District Attorney’s findings in this case.”