Early Sunday in northeast Salem, an assault incident involving five males attacking a single man was interrupted by an observant police officer heading to work. This incident, which occurred around 4:30 a.m. at the intersection of Market ST and Hawthorne AV NE, led to the swift arrest of two adults and three teenagers, as reported by the City of Salem's official news outlet. Witnesses described the assailants fleeing the scene in a vehicle shortly after the officer spotted them.
With the suspects on the run, Salem Police coordinated an area search, and the suspect vehicle turned up roughly 20 minutes later. A Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputy found the car near Lancaster DR and Center ST NE, with the occupants being detained without any further complications. It turned out a handgun was hiding inside the vehicle, which the authorities promptly seized.
The adult suspects, identified by the City of Salem as Horacio Chavez Soto, aged 20, and Manuel Contreras Rivera, aged 19, both hailing from Salem, were taken into custody on riot charges and have since been released. The involvement of minors in such a serious event has notably raised questions about youth crime in the community.
Additionally, the City of Salem states that three juveniles were part of this violent early morning escapade – two 16-year-olds and one 17-year-old. They were transported to the Marion County Juvenile Department, with one of the younger suspects facing the compounded charges of riot and unlawful possession of a weapon, no less serious for the age of its bearer, for the gun found within their vehicle. The two remaining teens are also charged with riot.
The investigation surrounding this incident remains ongoing. Further details and inquiries are directed towards the Marion County District Attorney's Office. This assault, involving multiple participants and the seizing of a firearm, is a chilling reminder of the potential for violence that lies just beneath the surface in any community, even in the quiet, predawn hours.
