Christian Rosales, 21, was shot and killed just after midnight on January 1, 2017, outside a New Year’s Eve party on the 13000 block of Arthur Street in Salinas. According to reports, a gunman approached Rosales and his friends, demanded money and threatened them with a firearm. Rosales attempted to overpower the gunman to protect his friends and was shot in the stomach; he died at the scene. His death was the first homicide in Salinas in 2017.

Rosales was from Gonzales, was described as kind and hardworking, and had been a student at Hartnell College with plans to transfer to a four-year university to study film. A candlelight vigil at Gonzales High School drew hundreds, and the family received community support including a customized San Francisco Giants jersey. Police said some witnesses came forward but no suspects had been identified and no arrests were made.