Front Page  »  

Oceano teen killed in drive-by shooting

November 18, 2011

The 17-year-old shot in the head Thursday night by a drive-by shooter in Oceano died at a local hospital this morning.

At about 6:30 p.m., a drive-by shooter shot Gabriel Salgado, 17, of Oceano and an unnamed 14-year-old on the 1700 block of 21st Street.

Salgado and the 14-year-old who was shot in the leg were originally transported to Arroyo Grande Community Hospital. Emergency personnel then transferred Salgado to Marian Medical Center in Santa Maria where he died.

San Luis Obispo County Sheriff deputies are investigating the shooting as a gang related incident.


Loading...
Subjects:             
Related:


34 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Three suggestions I try to follow:


1. I try to have the balls to report something when I see it. A “drive-by” is an act of cowardice, and your silence will not protect you.


A few years ago, I looked out my window at 11:30 PM and saw some guy with a club in one hand, holding a girl by the hair with his other hand. She was about a third his size. She was so scared, she had forgotten to scream, but was emitting little sounds of desperation being unable to flee.


All my neighbors were home. The Jehovas Witnesses. The jail guard. The “vatos.” The judgmental old lady, her cat, and her two kids who hang large flags on their fence, and brag about how they were in the Marines. Cars in the driveways. Lights still burning. No help.


I ran out to my porch and yelled as loud as I could, “Somebody call the cops!” The noise was enough. Fearing detection, the guy took off running and jumped into a waiting car. Oddly, the girl took off running in the same direction.


We can only do so much.


2. If you call the cops, make sure they respond. Get past the attitude you get in abundance, like you are the problem for having them come out. When a gun is involved, INSIST that the cops give you an incident number. This is the identifying number on the paperwork they must fill out that describes what they did to “close out” the call.


3. If a gun is involved, and the police do come out, stay safe but do not lose eye contact with the cops. If they are going to protect you, you should protect them, if it becomes necessary to haul ass out of there to get more help.


4. A police response is not the only answer, and not necessarily the best answer.


Where juveniles are involved, they need to take responsibility for their actions.


When police take a report of a vandalism, for example, and the complainant wants to notify the parents to discuss an appropriate discipline and remuneration by the juvenile, the police should not be an obstacle to this kind of resolution.


Currently, the Sheriff’s refusal to release the names of any juvenile involved in any kind of crime, is not good policy. Earlier this year, the Sheriff’s refused to follow through on my complaint about a vandalism involving a juvenile with a rifle. “It was probably just a BB gun, and since you were the only one who complained, you must have imagined it. Or maybe you didn’t see it.” When you get this kind of response, you need to make a formal written complaint directly to Sheriff Ian Parkinson. His administrative staff will make sure a report is taken. The rest is up to you.


Different violations call for different responses. Otherwise, kids will think they can get away with anything.


In many instances, public admonishment or condemnation can have the desired effect of discouraging the juvenile from negative behavior. Proposing a way to compensate for property damage can teach the juvenile responsibility, at the same time it gives him a way to make up for the wrong. It helps him to recover from the shame of discovery and knowledge of guilt.


The crime reported here is going to be solved because Oceano does not cater to cowards.


0

This been happening around here for years. The cholo’s have been bangen each other in this county for ever- so have the skins. The more we grow the more you see it. It’s part of our culture. To bad -so sad.


0

If drastic measures are not taken it is only a matter of time until this activity creeps into surrounding and neighboring cities. I have only lived in SLO for 10 years, but the characters on the streets have been getting scarier and scarier (not even talking about the homeless which is a different issue).


0

It is NOT a race issue. It is a GANG/CRIMINAL issue. When innocent people are killed by GANGSTERS/CRIMINALS, why would anyone want to identify with them by dressing like them, making gang signs, tagging, etc. They should have strict dress codes in public schools. Like they do in prison. NO COLORS. California has a serious problem with gangs. And it is only going to get worse, if the good citizens of the state don’t fight back. My nephew was killed by gangsters because he accidently bumped into one of them. Zero tolerance is called for to combat this problem. Drugs, violence, crime, murder, what good do they do?


0

The life a banger.


You wear the wrong color I’ll kill you.

You cross some imaginary line in my neighborhood, I’ll kill you.

You look at me wrong, I’ll kill you.

You disrespect me, I’ll kill you.

You kill one of my homies after I killed one of yours….well you know the answer.


Here is the part that is SOOO hard to fix. MOST of us in a NORMAL rational world think this is absolutely crazy bullshit. Which it is. Yet these FOOLS in this environment continue to die over the most STUPID reasons ever put forward to the rational thinking. Here is (sadly) a case of you can’t fix stupid.


0

“Here is the part that is SOOO hard to fix. MOST of us in a NORMAL rational world think this is absolutely crazy bullshit. Which it is. Yet these FOOLS in this environment continue to die over the most STUPID reasons ever put forward to the rational thinking. Here is (sadly) a case of you can’t fix stupid.”


Nail on head, beenthere…

It is interesting to note that this crazy behavior and ethnic posturing is rampant in our prisons as well and seemingly out of control. They are supposed to be “high security” places where a criminal (regardless of age, race or gender) is supposed to be safely housed while repaying their debt to society. Quite the opposite is generally the rule, the gangs and power players run the jails and the guards are purely reactionary to their behavior. Many gang leaders in jail actually run criminal activities on the outside.

Even if the perps who killed this kid in Oceano are caught, tried and sentenced to hard time, not much is going to really change, they will just take their activity inside the big house. Unless proactive measures are taken early gang behavior will continue to grow. Until positive focus is placed on family, ethics and responsibility, until young men step up and become a responsible father to the kids they have spawned, until citizens say enough is enough and start reporting all crime and gang behavior, until the citizens support LEO on zero tolerance of gang activity nothing will change.


0

Crimes justify more taxation


Solution for community vigilance

Issue massive CWP and training to law abiding citizens

We already have cell hones for 911 calls

This is more realistic, odds become even

It ain’t gona happen!


0

I absolutely agree with you willie. We shouldn’t even need permits for concealed carry. But law enforcement would rather use incidents like this to fatten their own wallets.


0

They (the gang bangers) have now crossed the Santa Maria border. We have to push them back behind the lines and then all the way to LA. It’s time to set up a serious neighborhood watch program on every street in lower S County. Report every suspicious person that looks like a gang member, run them out.


0

That sounds racist to me. People say I have “The look”. but I am just an average person living here in the Central Coast. You will have to call in every second and report almost every male Hispanic living here in Cali. I know you didn’t mention the “race” but I know that is where you are coming from. Not a good strategic plan. and They came from L.A so how would you know if they are gangsters from L.A or not? cause Gang violence here in the Central Coast is not heard much so that would be pointless. If it happened more often than just this time. then I can see your point of view, Either way there is no stopping crime. Crime is everywhere and will always continue. Gangs outnumber Police and will never be stopped. All we can really do is go on with our lives and just be as careful as possible and hope for the best. You mess with the wrong person and report them, They find out who it was and you could be next. It is very sad but true, unfortunately. I do hope who ever did this pays and pays big.Im not hating on you and don’t mean to sound like it, or being mean, But I wouldnt like to be minding my own business and cops want to talk to me because some person reported me of “looking” suspicious. and not every gang members looks and dresses like one, some dress nice and casual too. many can disagree, but its just my point of view. :) Have a good day.


0

Gang Bangers have a style that they sport intentionally. Why would you want to dress and act like a gangster? Most of us can tell the difference between an average Joe vs somebody looking for trouble. Knock it off with the race card, if the gang banging punks are Hispanic’s then it is, what it is.


0

Sorry Cindy, I don’t trust some of the cops that I know or even you in all due respect to spot a gang banger. I see lots of kids at that high school that look like gang bangers. They go through a stage where it’s cool to dress like that and with some kids, that’s all they know, they live in poor areas and that’s how most of the people dress but it doesn’t mean that they are all gang bangers. You’d be hauling off a lot of innocent kids.


I’m going to resist pulling on that race card as I don’t want to get into that but I do feel bad that you don’t see how wrong you are and how that can appear to look a little bit like that.


0

If you dress like a gang banger LE harass you

If you dress within the range of normal gang bangers harass you

Maybe dress in a suit and they cannot tell if your in the mob or a cop

Or dress like you came from Afganistan


0

I guess it’s time for everybody to grow up. If I’m loitering on the corner dressed up like a hooker and making eye’ at every guy that drives by, some cop is going to harass me. They may even violate my rights and look in my purse to see if I’m carrying a load of condoms or whatever. Who’s fault would it be if I got harassed and what would I be doing acting like that to begin with?


Again, we can usually tell the difference between a kid walking down the street with half his butt hanging out and a group of kids looking for trouble. I stand by my “all out” saturated neighborhood watch and call the cop’s idea.


0

You are right on, on this Cindy. While I understand some people here are worried about the droopy draws of society out there and that yes most are probably good kids, here is the REALITY to add to your point. These bangers talk about respect. When you dress like a fool and look like a fool, who in the hell is going to respect that? The reality is, that as a society (like it or not) we judge people on looks and more importantly first impressions. I know this all to well being self employed. I have the first one min. to land a contract based on how I speak and how I look.


Now that being said, there are a lot of people that look tough out there and are great individuals. I use to work with a couple biker type guys 25+ years ago. These two guys where the nicest guys you could know and one helped steer me away from messing with drugs. But, again first impressions in first meeting them they scared the hell out of me.


So again if people want to dress a certain way, they take a risk of taking judgements coming their way, right or wrong, even if not deserved.


0

I’m glad that you don’t work with kids.


0

Yes, I get your point as most adults do I’m sure. However, we’re talking about kids here and with teenagers it’s more about style and being cool rather than landing a contract or earning a living. I’m countering your point because I know Typo will have a hey day with it if I don’t ;)


When it comes to profiling a gang banger, in my opinion it’s about how one postures themselves and we can tell the difference between someone who is looking for trouble when it comes to gang bangers. There is a whole package to the style that they sport.


0

Do you have high school kids? Just wondering. I’m not saying that I like the way they dress but a lot of kids that aren’t in gangs and that aren’t Hispanic wear those stupid jeans with their butt hanging out. Many good old white boys wear the baggy shirts and baggy pants. They aren’t standing on street corners waiting for trouble they are just typical dumb teens trying to be cool. These kids in this shooting were standing in someones front yard should that be outlawed?


0

I think your missing Cindy’s point and mine also. I don’t think anyone has said you have to outlaw it. The thing being mentioned here is that (like it or not) the REALITY of the world we live in (and I’m not saying it makes it right no matter how you try to spin) is you are judged by your looks right or wrong. These kids may not be bangers but if you look like a banger, then you might get mistaken for one with tragic consequences. Not that, that is right, just stating reality. Look at kids in L.A. who are innocent in neighborhoods with no gang ties, getting shot at for wearing blue or red. Now are you going to risk sending your kid out to be in style if that style (droop pants) can be associated with gangs? GOD I HOPE NOT for any kids you may deal with for their sake.


Last you statement about being in someones yard? PLEASE!! Do you REALLY think that is what Cindy or anyone else was saying? I would like to think you wouldn’t really think that way.


0

It’s too bad that so many parents don’t realize that their kids are dressing like gang bangers but they don’t, that’s not my fault. I’m just saying that you can’t profile people because of they way they dress, there’s just too many kids that dress this way and many people can’t tell the difference. I truly don’t believe that Cindy or you would know the difference between a regular high school kid and a gang banger if they were standing in front of you. I’m not defending the clothes, I’m the one that always argues for school uniforms. I just don’t believe that you guys have an understanding of how many kids dress, don’t blame me, I’m not their parents.


Cindy said something about if she were standing on a street corner dressed like hooker etc.. I was simply saying that these kids weren’t wandering the streets or on a dark street corner. Of course if they were standing on some dark street late at night dressed like hoods then I would expect the cops to stop and talk to them, that’s what they already do and that’s where the curfew laws are helpful but Cindy’s comparison of someone dressed like a hooker on a street corner isn’t the same in this situation as these kids were in someones yard.


Funny that when the new cerfew went into effect in SLO people were complaining that it’s not the governments job to stop and question kids after curfew, nanny state, bla bla ba and yet you guys are all for profiling kids if they look hispanic gang bangers. I believe that Cindy was one of those against the cerfew. You complain when the govt. gets involved and complain when they don’t.


0

dissonant cognition


0

Typo, The shooters were not just standing in someone’s yard. They were cruising and looking for their targets.


BTW, Gang Bangers have an air about them. Yes I can tell the difference. I didn’t say a neighborhood watch should report kids that are dressed in ridiculous attire that doesn’t fit them.


Banger’s have a talk, they have a walk, they have an attitude, they like to sport their tattoo’s and they have their foolish gang signs that look like they’re suffering from some kind of mental disorder and they like to all color code themselves, we can spot the them.


0

Hmm. Can you read? Where did I say that Gov. should get involved? Never did. I said that colors and certain cloths go with some gangs. That was my point. Never did mention anything about Gov. intervention one way or the other. Now go spin the wheel again Vanna.


0

Typo,

White kids… Like Vanilla Ice or Eminem? Yo! Wiggas


0

No, I don’t dress like one, they say its my mustache and goatee, and I have a shaved, not bald haircut. I think that’s the problem, But I don’t like how I look without a goatee and without a mustache, and I don’t look good with hair I’ve been told. If I were completely bald I can understand. I don’t like saggy pants either. I dress normal plain T-shirts and semi Loose Levis but never too baggy and Sagging, I don’t sport any gang Tattoos either. I am very respectful and a hard worker. I say Hi to everyone, and of course I’m not always acknowledged of my existence, haha, But I do understand why it happens but not even being friendly helps. Everyone who knows me would tell you how I really am. But what can a Person like myself do to fit in? when I am as normal as I can be. I can’t really change my face, That will just be too much and too weird. I have a wife and a son. I teach him what’s right and what’s wrong, He dislikes fighting and does not dress in baggy, droopy pants, He likes skinny jeans. Luckily he doesn’t have the look either.


0

Romeo,

I have a similar problem in that my normal expression is a really serious face, but I too am a friendly person. I’m trying hard to keep a sincere slight smile on my face so that I’m more approachable. When I remember, it works. I think if your family and friends like and respect you, you’re already way ahead of the game. It sounds like you do everything right, and that you’re a good person.


0

You bring up some great points romeo. I worked with a guy, still friends with him and people would come up to him all the time and speak Spanish or ask him if he could speak English. Sometimes they would say real slowly ‘do you speak English’. He would just look at me and laugh, he couldn’t even speak Spanish, I’m not even sure to this day if he’s hispanic, He could be Italian or middle eastern but he does look hispanic, I’ve never felt compelled to ask him.


We can’t judge people by the way they look. I’m learning more and more about these two boys, more factual then when the story first broke. These boys hung out around some gang bangers but they looked like many kids at the high school and apparently even though they hung out with gang bangers they were really liked by a lot of different kids from all walks of life, they simply hung out with the wrong people. Sometimes kids don’t hang out with the right people and sometimes they do dumb things, it doesn’t mean that they are gang members.


I’m sure that there are a lot of people that would look at many of of the kids at the high school and think that they are gang bangers when they’re really not. Some call it profiling but due to some people not being to bright it could become stereotyping and that’s just morally wrong, very totalitarian, what next should we tattoo all people with dark skin and black hair so we can keep an eye on them?


Also there have always been gangs. Watch West Side Story, (except they are glamorizing the gangs in some of those old movies). There used to be gangs of cattle rustlers and bad guys in the old west. There will always be gangs so people need to deal with it in a different way. Throughout history the one thing that cuts back crime rates is a good early education. A good education gives kids motivation and the ability to leave that life. This is why we need to offer everyone a good solid education.


0

Sorry, Dude. We’re not going to sit back and let the gangs take over. Besides the dress, a good way to identify gang members is by tattoos. Often, gangsters will show them to you. Whether they are Mexican Zetas found in Nipomo and Santa Maria or local homegrown 13 groups, or Nortenos from King City and Greenfield , or Bulldogs from Fresno, we will be careful, but we will drive you out of our neighborhoods and towns in this county.


Stay out of our lives and out of our way and you won’t have to worry about us, but your intimidation tactics won’t work. Some of us are old, and have a license to carry. If we get killed, it doesn’t matter, but we won’t go down without a fight.


0

Oh geez this is too bad. Now I’ve heard that I was wrong earlier and that they were in a gang, but again this could be just a rumor. So sad.


0

So very sad.


0

they weren’t in a gang… i go to school with the 14 year old that got shot


0

Yeah, that’s what I heard later today. The story changed depending on who I spoke with. But later after school I found out more about the boys and talked to more kids that knew these boys a bit better. There’s been a bit of confusion on the 14 year olds age, some say 14 and some swear he’s 15. The latest that I was told was from someone that lives very close to him. He said that they hung out with gang guys but that they weren’t really like that themselves. It doesn’t really matter now, it’s too late for the older one and his family. It’s just very sad.


0

I know the family and have confirmed they were indeed gang members.


0

Slotownman- you OBVIOUSLY do not know the family. These kids indeed were NOT gang members. Gaberiel was a good kid with a good head on his shoulders.this is so sad and i really have no words but had to clear that up. I knew this boy and his family and it is such a very sad tragic loss. For those of you that do have Faith please pray for strength for this family.


0