King City residents, leaders, police march for peace days after homicide

Just days after King City’s third homicide occurred, dozens marched to promote peace. As they walked Friday, many locals longed for the town they remember from their childhoods.

“I know when I was a kid, you used to be able to play out in the street; be out at night and not have to worry about anything, and now it’s not like that anymore,” said longtime resident Miguel Espino. “You got kids that are being shot in the street for no apparent reason. It’s a sad tragedy, really.”

Although the march was organized by the Catholic Church of St John The Baptist, many said it takes people of many faiths and beliefs to come together to truly end violence in the community.

“This might be a way where we can come together and say our differences aren’t that different,” resident Connie Bauer said.

The march ended at King City Cemetery, where 23-year-old Juan Carlos Reyes was buried this week. He was shot and killed in King City on Sunday. Reyes hasn’t been the only casualty of violent crime in the city. The names of many other victims were read in remembrance.

King City Police Chief Robert Masterson was one of several city officials at the march. He told KION that real change comes from touching the hearts and minds of the community.

“That comes simply by getting to know each other. We can’t enforce change under people. The state of California tried that once; all we did was overcrowd our prisons,” said Masterson. “What the community wants is peace.”

Though it’s just one march, Masterson said he believes events like it are a step in the right direction.

“If we just reach one person, we’ve (achieved) a success. If just one person changes an attitude, and then it goes exponentially from there,” Masterson said.

The city, which has a population of just under 13,000 people, has had a total of three homicides and nearly 20 shootings this year, according to Masterson. Though those numbers are higher than last year, reporting of crimes is also up. In March, there were two shootings within just hours of each other. Police have arrested three of the four people believed to be involved.

“That’s good news. The community is actually wanting to get involved and take their own community back,” Masterson said.

Masterson said that the city still has a lot of work to do, but progress is being made.