Homicide victim to be honored tonight in Gonzales

A 21-year-old Gonzales man who was shot and killed just after New Year’s Eve in Salinas is being honored by his former high school and favorite professional baseball team.

Tonight at 7 p.m., the Gonzales High School basketball team will retire Christian Rosales’ jersey and uniform number 41.

The San Francisco Giants also marked Rosales’ death, calling him a “Giant Hero.” The team sent a letter of condolence to Rosales’ family and included a Giants jersey featuring Rosales’ name and high school number.

“Christian made the ultimate sacrifice to save those he loved and will always be remembered as a true Giant,” the letter read in part.

Witnesses told police that Rosales was shot while struggling with a gunman who demanded money from Rosales and his friends outside a New Year’s Eve party in the 13000 block of Arthur Street in Salinas.

Rosales was the city’s first homicide victim of 2017.