Roberto Vargas Hernandez, 38, was shot dead on September 20, 2020 in a wooded area near East Laurel Drive in Salinas, California. Officers responded to a ShotSpotter alert that night and found two men with gunshot wounds; Hernandez died at the scene and a 28-year-old man was taken to hospital and was expected to survive.

The shooting happened close to a popular biking and hiking trail and near homeless encampments, though police said the victims were not homeless. The woods had been the site of multiple shootings in the months before Hernandez’s death and were the focus of city and county efforts to clear encampments. No arrests have been announced and detectives are asking the public for tips.

Anyone who was in the East Laurel Drive area on September 20 or who has information about this shooting is asked to contact the Salinas Police Department.