Update: Salinas homicide victim identified
UPDATE 1/9/17 1:50 PM: Police identify the victim of Saturday’s homicide as Daniel Juarez Morales, 26, of Salinas.
ORIGINAL STORY: A 26-year-old man was shot and killed in the parking lot of a restaurant on North Main Street late Saturday night in Salinas following an argument between two groups of men, according to the Salinas Police Department.
Officers were alerted to gunshots at 1980 North Main St. by ShotSpotter and found the victim with a gunshot wound to the head. ShotSpotter is a gunshot detection system recently launched by the Salinas Police Dept.
“An altercation may have started in the Buffalo Wild Wings between two groups of males. The security guard was able to get between the groups, so the argument stayed verbal but each group threw out some gang signs,” according to the press release issued by the Salinas Police Department.
The victim left the restaurant and was confronted by the suspects in the parking lot. One of the suspects opened fire and shot the 26-year-old man, who has not yet been identified by police. The shooting happened around 11:40 p.m..
The description of the getaway vehicle is sketchy, but it may have been a white Chevy S10 last seen eastbound on Boronda Road.
The Salinas Police Department is asking for the public’s help. Here’s how:
The Investigations Bureau is asking anyone who may have information regarding this shooting, the altercation inside Buffalo Wild Wings Restaurant, or may have seen the vehicle fleeing the area, contact Detective Byron Gansen at (831) 758-7137 or byrong@ci.salinas.ca.us; or Detective Gabriela Garibay at (831) 758-7971. If you would like to remain anonymous, you can call the Salinas Police Department Anonymous Tip Line at 831-775-4222, or the We-Tip Line at 1-800-78-CRIME, or text information to the Text Tip Line with the code “SPD831” to “847411”.
