Teen arrested for deadly shooting of Alisal High School student
By Jacquelyn Quinones
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SALINAS, Calif. (KSBW) — More than a month after 14-year-old Alisal High School student Ethan Emmanuel Rodriguez was shot and killed near the campus, police have arrested a 16-year-old student from the same school district.
The incident occurred on December 5, a Friday afternoon, near Camarillo and Moreno shortly after school let out. Salinas Union High School District staff confirmed that witnesses came forward to assist with the investigation.
“I think I want to express some gratitude to the community members, to the students, to the families that came forward to really identify some of the aspects that were needed in this investigation,” Superintendent for Salinas Union High School District, Zandra Galvan, said.
Salinas police stated that the investigation remains active, and they cannot release much information since the suspect is a juvenile.
“We’re working through the District Attorney’s Office and our investigation team to see if there is any other information, other suspects, or anything else because he is a juvenile as well, we’re not allowed to provide any other information, and the investigation is ongoing,” Salinas Police Chief Carlos Acosta said.
Authorities have not confirmed whether the incident was gang-related.
The district emphasized its strict safety measures, noting that while the incident did not occur on campus, it is reinforcing its commitment to student safety.
“We have a system that when people sign into our campuses, we’re making sure that you are properly identified and that you can be on our campuses within the area of students we also have security team members anywhere from 7 to 8 people that are designated as campus safety,” Galvan said.
Additionally, the district highlighted the use of high-speed cameras capturing footage during school hours and in surrounding areas to maintain safe facilities.
“We have high-speed cameras that are capturing footage during the school and around, so some of the footage is also directed to the streets and other areas that remain watched so that we can maintain safe facilities,” Galvan said.
The Salinas Union High School District has made counseling and support services available to anyone affected by the incident.
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