ShotSpotter, witness help Salinas police in homicide investigation

UPDATE 1/13/17 4:56 p.m.: On Friday, the Salinas Police Department released more information about Thursday night’s homicide investigation after two people were killed and two were hurt during a shooting.

Commander Stan Cooper said the victims were in front of a residence on Sunrise Street when the shooting took place around 9:00 p.m. Two men died at the scene and two more were brought to the hospital.

Officers nearby were able to locate the shots fired through ShotSpotter. Police said a witness also helped officers expedite catching three men who have been detained at the department for questioning and are considered potential suspects.

The witness reported seeing a green minivan leave the area after the shooting. An officer also reported seeing a similar car near Boronda and Constitution and followed them to Santa Rita. Police said the car stopped and three men ran off.

With the help from the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office and CHP, those three men were detained through the course of the night.

Police said the names of those detained will be released only if they are charged. They said the investigation is ongoing, but it does have a lot of indicators of being gang-related.

The department said it will not release the names of the victims with ages ranging from mid-twenties to late-thirties. Investigators said they’re in the process of notifying family members and an autopsy is expected to be completed over the next few days.

Police said the investigation will go through the weekend as they conduct searches, interviews and look for additional potential suspects.

This is the second deadly shooting in a week. On Sunday, a man was killed outside of Buffalo Wild Wings in Salinas. Thursday night’s deaths mark the third and fourth for the city this year.

UPDATE 1/13/17 12:41 p.m.: Two people are dead and two are hurt after a shooting in Salinas Thursday night, according to the Salinas Police Department.

Officers said the shooting happened at about 9 p.m. in the 500 block of Sunrise St. Witnesses said there was a family gathering happening when shots rang out. Many believed they were fireworks until people began screaming, “He’s hit! He’s hit!”

“Four of the bullets actually came past the fence,” one witness said. “One of them got shot into the truck, one of them ricocheted on the floor below the truck and two of them, God knows where they went.”

Three people have been detained and police said the investigation into their involvement in the shooting is ongoing.

The police department expects to have more information at 4 p.m. Friday.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Salinas Police Department Anonymous Tip Line at 831-775-4222, or the We-Tip Line at 1-800-78-CRIME.

UPDATE 1/13/17: Salinas Police are investigating a quadruple shooting Thursday night.

It happened just after 9:00 p.m. on the 500 Block of Sunrise St.

We have a crew on scene, this article will be updated as more information is release.