Two shootings, five victims Saturday night in Salinas

A violent Saturday night in Salinas sent a total of five people to the hospital with gunshot wounds, the result of two separate gang shootings, Salinas police said.

The first shooting happened on the 900 block of Acosta Plaza just before 9 p.m. A suspect slid open the door to his light-colored minivan and began shooting approximately 10 large caliber rounds at a group of men standing in a carport, police said.

Three guys were hit, along with two cars and a building. A 16-year-old was hit four times in the leg and taken to the local trauma center. Additionally, a 21-year-old man was hit in the hand and a 12-year-old boy was shot in the leg. The three victims are expected to survive, police said.

After the shooting a witness jumped in his car and chased the minivan to East Laurel Drive and North Sanborn Road, causing a car crash. Because of the crash, the suspect was able to get away, police said.

The second shooting happened just before 10:30 p.m. at 726 Elkington Street. This time a suspect walked up and fired at least eight shots at three men, ages 17-20, standing in the carport, police said.

Two of the victims were hit–one in the back of the leg and the other in the pelvis. Both victims are expected to survive, police said. They were transported to the trauma center as well.

The suspect took off in a gray full-size pickup truck. It is unclear at this point if the Elkington Street shooting is in retaliation to the Acosta Plaza shooting or an isolated incident, police said.