April 3, 2009
Monterey County Herald
Tuesday's shootings of three men inspired more than 100 people to rally for a candlelight vigil late Thursday in the troubled East Salinas neighborhood where the violence occurred.
The solemn turnout, including the victims' family members, culminated in a prayerful procession from the gathering on East Market Street to the site of the shootings about a block away.
The crime is believed to be gang-related, but none of the victims is thought to have gang connections.
Juan Carlos Ledesma, 19, and Juan Maciel, 20 — both of whom died — and the 18-year-old who survived were moving belongings into a house on Center Street when they were attacked.
The turnout, which included Mayor Dennis Donohue, was encouraging to the vigil's organizers, who say the community is beginning to unite against the violence in the city that has resulted in 12 homicides this year.
"The tendency is to see something like this and say, 'Why should I bother to go over there and reach out? It's not my family.' But you know what? We're all hurting, and the families of the victims need to know that we care," Deborah Aguilar said. She became a member of Neighbors United after her 18-year-old son, Stephen Joseph Aguilar, was slain Nov. 16, 2002, a crime that remains unsolved. "We're standing in the neighborhood where it happened, and we're working as a team. I didn't sign up for this kind of work — I was called to it — but I know that the community needs to know that we care."
Aguilar and City Councilwoman Gloria De La Rosa, founder of Neighbors United, are among neighborhood advocates who will host a community meeting tonight at the Hebbron Family Center to discuss the epidemic of gang activity in the neighborhood.
"My goal ... is to hear the people of the community express whatever they're feeling — fear, anger, frustration, sadness or whatever — and to work together to find solutions to some of these problems," said De La Rosa, whose son, Gabriel, survived a shooting in Salinas six years ago.
A big part of the solution, she believes, is convincing people to make a phone call when they see a crime or witness something that looks suspicious.
"People need to understand that they are the eyes and ears out there. They need to report what they see and hear," De La Rosa said.
"We have an anonymous tip line and we need to use it. If you're out there watering your plants, you need to be watching. And if you see something, you need to use the resources that are available to us. We need to do that for our children and families."
Donohue, who walked with the group to the house where the crime occurred, said the city is working hard to quell the violence.
"I cannot express to you how absolutely horrified I was to read what happened, and to understand that these were innocent victims. There are really no words," he said.
The mayor then addressed the family members of the victims.
"I'm always impressed by people who take the worst possible thing in their lives and try to make something good out of it for the rest of the community," he said. "The fact that you're here this evening is a sign to me that you're willing to do that. In the end, I'm convinced that's what it's going to take to fundamentally solve this problem."
The Rev. Frank Gomez said he draws optimism from what appears to be growing community support, but emphasized that there is much work to be done.
"We know we're well on our way and we're going to get there. Is enough being done? In some respects, when you consider the net results, the answer is obviously not. But we're certainly hopeful," he said.
Aguilar says much of her optimism stems from a feeling she is beginning to get from children in the city.
"The kids who live in these areas are kind of used to the violence," she said. "But the optimism I'm feeling comes from what I'm starting to hear from them. They're telling me, 'We're tired of this. We're not going to take it anymore.' I see these kids rising up, and that's what gives me hope."
By Dennis Taylor
