Group marches in protest of Brenda Mendoza shooting

Dozens of people took to the streets of Salinas Tuesday to bring awareness to what they’re calling an injustice.

It comes after an officer involved shooting that lead to the death of 20-year-old Brenda Mendoza, who Salinas Police say was armed during a March 1st standoff..

Weeks later, people are still outraged.

A crowd of people with signs in their hands marched to Salinas City Hall, from the MILPA offices, to voice their concerns about the police shooting.

“They killed a 20-year-old young lady who had, who we’re told had mental health concerns and history and again rather than them helping her, they killed her,” Israel Villa, MILPA’s program and policy coordinator said.

MILPA, or motiviating individual leadership for public advancement, organized the event.

“It’s important that we raise awareness and attention to this issue,” Villa said.

The Monterey County District Attorney’s office is still investigating the shooting and no body camera footage has been released yet. Neither have the findings of that investigation.

We caught up with Salinas Police Chief Adele Frese during the march.

“So far what I’m hearing is a lot of information that is being passed around perhaps, third party and from people out on the street and it does upset people because, [people] are not really going by facts,” said Salinas Police Chief Adele Frese.

But MILPA says the issues go beyond Brenda Mendoza.

“Equity equality, justice, that’s what we want this is about, Villa said, “Justice straight up, justice and
accountability.”