On the evening of February 22, 2019, 37-year-old Abdelwahed Rahali of Salinas was shot multiple times in front of his home on Granada Avenue at about 7:50 p.m. Salinas police responded after several calls and a ShotSpotter activation; Rahali was found with multiple gunshot wounds and died after being taken to a nearby hospital.

Police detained a 17-year-old a few blocks away near Tampico Avenue and Rainer Drive after a Community Service Officer spotted someone whose clothing and appearance matched witness descriptions. The teenager was found carrying a concealed firearm and was charged with murder and possession of a concealed weapon. Investigators presented surveillance footage and ballistics evidence that showed the suspect approaching Rahali on his porch and firing multiple shots. A 9mm Luger handgun and latex gloves were recovered in a backpack linked to the suspect.

Rahali’s death was the first homicide in Salinas for 2019 and left family and neighbors in shock. The motive has not been publicly confirmed; did anyone in the area see anything that evening or know Rahali’s movements before the shooting?