Salinas city leaders say children growing up with violence feeling devastating impacts

It’s a familiar scene in East Salinas – caution tape, bright lights and police searching for an armed gunman. But when the crime scene is cleared, for many what’s left is fear and trauma.

“That is something we are very worried about. What we know about violence is that it comes from somewhere. It’s deeply rooted and usually from violence experienced or witnessed at a young age,” said Jose Arreola, the community safety administrator for the city of Salinas.

Arreola, who works with at-risk youth, said children who live in high-crime areas can get scared easily and think their family isn’t safe. In a shooting on Garner Avenue Monday, a 12-year-old boy was in his home when he was hit by a stray bullet.

“That kid was lying down on his own couch. I mean, that should be the safest place you feel in the world. He was just hanging out at his own house,” said Arreola.

So to help ease the pain, Salinas police officers carry stuffed animals in their patrol cars that they offer to kids.

“It’s a traumatic situation. This child may have seen something that probably a child shouldn’t see,” said Salinas police Cmdr. Vince Maiorana.

Maiorana said he sees it all the time – kids in east Salinas frequently exposed to violence.

“They see blood on the sidewalk and they deal with these situations much differently than an adult would. We really try to comfort some of these children by giving a stuffed animal,” said Maiorana.

And Arreola said if kids don’t heal, then that trauma can lead to much greater wounds in the future.

“Children that they grow up with some sort of violence in their neighborhood or more importantly their home, tend to have a higher propensity towards not just violence but also health issues and chronic disease,” said Arreola.