FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: May 24, 2023
Statewide seat belt safety campaign in full swing as regional agencies collaborate
Salem, Ore. — This week the Salem Police Department Traffic Team is joining law enforcement agencies across the state in an effort to help educate the public about safety belt use for all passengers.
The two-week campaign, called Click It or Ticket, is part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's high-visibility enforcement effort which starts the week prior to the Memorial Day holiday.
Through focused enforcement, the Salem Police Department, Keizer Police Department, Marion County Sheriff’s Office, and Oregon State Police will be helping to raise public awareness of the laws regarding some of the most prevalent factors contributing to traffic collision injuries, such as the lack of seat belt use, speeding, distracted driving, and impaired drivers.
Although the Click It or Ticket campaign runs through June 4, all law enforcement agencies encourage drivers and passengers to make a conscious effort to use their seatbelt at all times when traveling in a vehicle, regardless of the distance traveled.
Parents and guardians who may need a little assistance with proper restraints for their child passenger can contact the Salem Police Traffic Team to make an appointment to have their child’s seat checked. Simply send an email to trafficteam@cityofsalem.net. Appointments can also be found in cities across Oregon through our non-profit, traffic safety partner, Oregon Impact.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: May 23, 2023
Three-car crash leads to one fatality, one in custody
Salem, Ore. — At approximately 3:00 a.m. Sunday, May 21, Salem Police officers and other emergency personnel responded to the intersection of Lancaster DR and Beverly AV NE on the report of a three-vehicle collision.
The Traffic Team’s preliminary investigation revealed the operator of a passenger vehicle was traveling southbound on Lancaster DR when it struck the rear end of another car with two occupants and also struck a mid-size crossover SUV with two occupants.
The driver of the passenger vehicle fled from the scene before police arrived. One of the four victims of the collision was transported to Salem Health with life-threatening injuries. Traffic Team investigators were later able to identify a potential suspect in the incident; however, the driver surrendered himself to law enforcement authorities before he was located by police. The hit-and-run suspect, identified as 27-year-old Gustavo Sosa, was taken into custody yesterday afternoon, May 22.
Sosa was lodged at the Marion County Jail on the following charges:
- Assault, second degree
- Driving under the influence of intoxicants
- Reckless driving
- Reckless endangering, four counts
- Hit and run vehicle-injury
- Assault, fourth degree
The person who was hospitalized because of the collision, a 16-year-old boy, died from his injuries early this morning, May 23. The Salem Police Department does not identify minors involved in criminal investigations.
Other charges for Sosa considered by the Marion County District Attorney’s Office are expected.
The intersection remained closed for approximately six hours for the investigation. The case remains an open investigation.
Sosa’s arraignment is scheduled for today at 2:30 p.m. at the Marion County Criminal Court Annex, and therefore, all inquiries into this investigation must be directed to the Marion County District Attorney’s Office.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: May 20, 2023
Three teens arrested; several weapons seized after shooting incident
Salem, Ore. — Salem Police officers arrested three male juveniles this evening after responding to the call of shots fired into an apartment.
Patrol officers were called to an apartment complex in the 2400 block of Coral AV NE at approximately 4:15 p.m. this afternoon. A person reported a bullet entered their residence from a neighboring apartment after hearing what sounded like an argument occurring. No injuries were reported.
Officers immediately evacuated neighboring apartments. An adult, who lived in the apartment from where the gunfire originated, arrived on-scene. The person permitted officers’ entry, and four juveniles exited the residence. Officers cleared the apartment and located one AR-15 style weapon, a shotgun, and a long rifle.
Three teens, two aged 14 and one aged 16, were arrested and lodged at the Marion County Juvenile Detention Center. One of the 14-year-olds is charged with theft by receiving, and all the boys are charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful use of a weapon, and reckless endangering.
The teens are not named because the Salem Police Department does not identify minors involved in criminal investigations. No further information is available for release.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: May 13, 2023
Police investigate serious assault incident at downtown mall
Update May 13, 2023 | 12:00 p.m.
The victim in this incident, identified as Enrique Sanchez Franco, age 20, died overnight, succumbing to the injuries he received in the altercation.
The 15-year-old juvenile remains in custody and his charges are as follows:
- Murder in the second degree
- Assault in the first degree
- Unlawful use of a weapon, knife
- Disorderly conduct
The case remains under investigation, and no further information will be released.
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Update May 12, 2023 | 10:15 p.m.
Salem Police detectives have made an arrest in today’s assault at the Salem Center Mall.
Detectives learned two male individuals at the mall were in an altercation, leaving one person with life-threatening injuries and hospitalized.
The suspect in the assault fled the scene. Using all available leads, this evening detectives arrested the 15-year-old suspect. Lodging to follow at the Marion County Juvenile Department on related charges.
The Salem Police Department does not provide the identity of minors involved in criminal investigations.
Further details about the victim are not available for release. The case remains under investigation, and no other information will be published at this time.
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Originally published May 12, 2023 | 3:47 p.m.
Salem, Ore. — At approximately 12:25 p.m. today, Salem Police officers were called to the Salem Center Mall at 401 Center ST NE on the report of a serious assault in the vicinity of the second-floor entrance to the Macy’s store.
Officers arrived to find one male individual with life-threatening injuries, suspected to be the result of a stabbing. He was transported to Salem Health. A second male individual believed to be involved in the incident fled from the scene.
The portion of the mall where the incident occurred was closed to the public and remains closed. No other patrons at the mall were injured. Mall shoppers exited the building in an orderly fashion. There is no ongoing risk to the public.
The incident remains an active investigation, therefore, no further details are being provided.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: May 11, 2023
Arrest made in infant death investigation
Salem, Ore. — A 25-year-old Salem man was arrested yesterday, May 10, as part of an investigation into the death of an infant in the spring of last year.
At approximately 7:30 a.m. on April 12, 2022, Salem Police officers and paramedics responded to the call of a six-month-old baby who was unconscious and not breathing normally. Resuscitative efforts by emergency responders were unsuccessful, and the child was pronounced deceased at the scene.
A Salem Police Criminal Division investigation resulted in the arrest of the child’s father, Edward William Casian, for the murder of the infant.
Casian was lodged at the Marion County Jail on the charge of murder in the first degree. He is due to be arraigned today at 2:30 p.m. at the Marion County Criminal Court Annex.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: May 1, 2023
Attempt to apprehend suspect in attacks on police ends in officer-involved shooting
Salem, Ore. — Just before 6:00 a.m. this morning, May 1, Salem Police officers were attempting to apprehend a person of interest sought in two incidents of shooting at law enforcement officers on Sunday, April 30.
A Salem Police officer shot the suspect during the attempt to arrest him.
The man was provided immediate medical attention prior being transported to Salem Health where he is currently being treated. No officers were injured during the incident.
The names of the suspect and the officers involved will not be released at this time.
The Marion County Law Enforcement Officer Deadly Use of Force Plan under Senate Bill 111 has been initiated for this incident, and Oregon State Police will be conducting the primary investigation in coordination with the Marion County District Attorney’s Office.
Per the use of force plan protocol, all further details concerning this investigation will be provided by the Oregon State Police (OSP). The next update from OSP is expected later today.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: April 30, 2023
Arrests made in separate disturbances downtown
Salem, Ore. — At approximately 10:15 p.m. on Saturday, April 29, the dispatch center received several reports of an adult male brandishing a gun at a group of people who were gathered in the south entrance parking lot of Riverfront Park. Witnesses reported the man left the location in a black pickup truck before Salem Police officers arrived. They provided police with a description of the suspect and details of the disturbance.
About 20 minutes later, officers were called to a fight involving a large group of people in the parking lot of the Safeway store located at Center and 12th STS NE. As officers arrived on the scene, the suspect and several individuals fled in a black pickup truck believed to be involved in the incident at Riverfront Park.
After a short distance, the driver of the pickup, identified as Martin Andrew Gonzalez, age 33, collided with two vehicles on Marion ST NE: one vehicle at Liberty ST and another at Commercial ST.
A gun and a high-capacity magazine were recovered. Gonzalez was arrested and lodged at the Marion County Jail on various related charges, including felon in possession of a firearm, unlawful use of a weapon, and reckless endangering.
An unnamed female juvenile occupant in the truck, age 13, was also arrested for unlawful possession of a firearm and lodged at the Marion County Juvenile Department. The Salem Police Department does not provide the name of any minor involved in a criminal investigation.
Several individuals involved in the collision requested medical transport to Salem Health. No information about their medical status is available.
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