Tragedy struck Salem's Bush's Pasture Park Thursday afternoon as gunfire rang out, claiming the life of a 16-year-old and leaving two other teens seriously injured. The Salem Police Department hastened to the scene near High and Leffelle Streets SE, where they found three male victims suffering from gunshot wounds. Identified as a sophomore from South Salem High School, 16-year-old Jose Vasquez-Valenzuela was pronounced dead at the scene, reported the Statesman Journal.
According to KPTV, police say the shooting occurred when two large groups of teenagers were gathered in the park. A 15-year-old and another 16-year-old victim were quickly taken to Salem Health, and the elder was later transferred to a Portland-area hospital to further receive care.
Meanwhile, the Salem Reporter disclosed the second victim, 15-year-old Damien Esquivel-Soto, a sophomore at Roberts High School, which is the city's alternative high school. He had previously attended South Salem High School for about three months in the fall. The second surviving teen has remained anonymous as authorities work to notify his family of the incident.
As of now, the police have not made any arrests in connection to the deadly shooting and continue to investigate the circumstances leading up to the tragic event. The decision to release the identities of the juvenile victims marks a shift in policy for the Salem Police Department, which typically refrains from doing so in crime cases involving minors, as they shared in a recent news release obtained by the Salem Reporter. The community is left mourning the loss of young Jose Vasquez-Valenzuela and is closely watching the ongoing investigation into this senseless act of violence.
