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Two killed in Santa Maria’s first 2016 homicides

January 13, 2016

crime tapeLess than two weeks into 2016, two homicides have occurred in Santa Maria.

In 2015, the city had a spike in killings with 13 murders. As with the last two murders of 2015, the first two killings of 2016 occurred in the form of a double homicide.

Around 6:45 p.m. Tuesday, two men were shot and killed near Main Street and Oakley Avenue. One victims died at the scene, and the other died of his injuries at a hospital.

Both victims appeared to be Hispanic and in their early 20s, police say. Investigators suspect the victims were walking on the sidewalk and were approached either from behind or the side.

Police are unsure if Tuesday’s double homicide was gang related. Detectives have yet to determine how many shooters there were.

Officers found multiple pistol shell casing near the scene of the shooting.

The last fatal shooting of 2015, occurred on the evening of Dec. 26. Two males were shot and killed near Jewel and Vine streets.

Of the previous 11 murders in Santa Maria, six had gang connections, police said.

Police Chief Ralph Martin said Tuesday that there have now been 17 homicides in 13 months. In 2014, there were three homicides in Santa Maria, and in 2013, there were two.


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A comment blaming The President for Santa Maria crime has been deleted.


After many such pointless comments from the same user, further such comments will cause the loss of your account.


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its a shame to see what Santa Maria has become.


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As long as gangs provide youth with a sense of friendship, camaraderie, and family-things that they are not receiving at home or school, the violence will continue.


Kids experience a kind of success in gangs; whereas, they experience failure at school and in the home.


They have not developed the skills to constructively express feelings of anger and rage.


There is nothing else to do; they have no hope and see no alternative but to join a gang.


They feel their survival may depend on joining a neighborhood gang. They fear for their safety and believe that being in a gang gives them protection.


It is an avenue to gain respect and money. Gangs can provide lucrative economic opportunities, status, and prestige–especially for youths that do not believe they have employment opportunities, or who have no job skills.


Some youths grow up in families where parents and relatives are active gang members and joining a gang is part of family tradition. In the Hispanic neighborhoods, for instance, gangs have been an integral part of the barrio for generations.

This is Santa Maria today…a sad reality.


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That is the most Racists post I have seen in months on CCN.


So Brown people just have Gangs as part of their culture?


WOW


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It would seem that SM could still be cleaned up. It’s geographically isolated from Oxnard, LA and the Central Valley. SLO County certainly isn’t the source of all the killings.


Is the state of Santa Maria a product of failed law enforcement (along with failed parenting of course) or is there something else driving all this killing?


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Does the term “Sanctuary City” ring a bell.. Who would want to live, shop or visit it?


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I think there is a misconception that good law enforcement prevents crimes. Law enforcement arrives on the scene after a crime is committed.

Their hands are generally tied before the fact, particularly if the persons that they suspect will commit crimes are minorities.


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“Law enforcement” most certainly includes preventative qualities. No question about that.


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Gangs are always looking to develop new territory where they can sell drugs and where there is a population that will engage in that activity and customers with enough money to buy drugs. Cops, courts, and prisons can’t stop them. Once they’re established, they intimidate the community and they won’t cooperate with the police. Plus many families rely on the drug money so they support the gangs.


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Sure they can…


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That didn’t take long.


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They didn’t tell you that this is how the missing persons number dropped. They’re dead.


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Don’t do walking the streets in Santa Maria….coming to a neighborhood near you….sad.


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