Salinas moves ahead peacefully, marking one year since violent protests toward police

Moving forward peacefully – it’s something to remember for the Salinas community on the one year anniversary of a riot that left a bystander dead and police officer injured. It all started after the third fatal officer-involved shooting.

A year ago Wednesday, 44-year-old Carlos Mejia was shot and killed by Salinas police after offices said he was swinging garden sheers toward the neighbors and eventually officers.

It was an incident that rocked the community. But police say a lot has changed in a year.

For the last 12 months, Salinas Police Chief Kelly McMillin said he’s been working to bring the community and police together. The department now has body cameras, regular community meetings, and the U.S. Department of Justice to review the department.

“There’s been a variety of responses. Some positive, some of concern, but I think generally at the end of all this Salinas will be a better place for it,” said McMillin.

To provide extra levels of confidence in the investigation process of these cases. McMillin requested separate reviews of the Osman Hernandez and Carlos Mejia shootings by the FBI and the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.

To mark the one-year anniversary of the Mejia shooting, community members gathered at the scene to honor his memory one year later.

“I would just like to see community members comfortable with you know working around police and not seeing a cop and being pissed off just because you see one,” said East Salinas resident Yohara Ayala.

Ayala has lived in East Salinas her whole life. She said it’s important for the community to work together with police.

“A lot of people are scared of the police. So you need to build that relationship and that trust,” said Ayala.

Ayala says she would also like to see more officers hired who are from Salinas and that’s something the department has been working to achieve.

“We’re continuing to make strides with our community programs and building trust and relationships with the community,” said McMillin.