SALEM, Ore. — Salem police have released the names of the teen who died, and one of two teens who were injured in a shooting near Bush's Pasture Park in Salem on Thursday.
Jose Vazquez Valenzuela, 16, was killed. Salem-Keizer Public Schools confirmed Friday that Vazquez Valenzuela was a sophomore at South Salem High School.
The other two victims, another 16-year-old boy and 15-year-old Damien Esquivel-Soto, were also hit by bullets. They were both initially treated at Salem Health, but the 16-year-old was transferred to a hospital in the Portland metro area for further care. The 16-year-old's name will be released when his family is notified, Salem police had said.
On Friday evening, a 16-year-old boy, Nathaniel Shauntae McCrae Jr., turned himself in at the Salem Police Station, officers said. He's now in the Marion County Juvenile Detention Center and faces charges of murder in the second degree, two counts of attempted murder in the second degree and assault in the first degree.
Two large groups of juveniles were at the park when gunfire erupted around 1:45 p.m., according to an initial investigation. Officers responded to the area of High Street Southeast and Leffelle Street Southeast, near the southwest corner of the park. They found the three boys who had been shot.
"Right now, we are focused solely upon solving this crime, holding the perpetrator(s) accountable, and bringing justice to these victims and their families," said Salem Police Chief Trevor Womack. "We will, though, have to continue our work with the community to develop an effective intervention and prevention strategy for this intolerable level of violence."
South Salem High School went into lockdown, which was lifted by late Thursday afternoon. All after-school and evening activities, events and practices at South Salem High were canceled, according to Salem-Keizer Public Schools.
"Today, our district crisis response team, which includes additional counseling support is available for all students. These services will continue as long as they are needed," a district spokesperson said Friday.
On Friday, members of the community left flowers, candles or notes in a memorial at the park where Vazquez Valenzuela was killed. Jalene Dyer walks through the park often, and said it's not unusual to see high school teenagers hanging out during lunch.
"I don't feel like that should be happening here or anywhere — I mean, it's by the school and stuff," Dyer said of the shooting. "It's something that should have never happened in the first place."
Family members of Vazquez Valenzuela started a GoFundMe to help raise money for his memorial.
The shooting happened just a day after the city of Salem held a community outreach meeting to address a rise in violent crime. Chief Womack said many of these crimes involve young men, including teenagers.
"The shootings are becoming a little more frequent recently and it's drawing our attention," Womack said. "More and more juveniles are actually committing shootings now in Salem and it's trending up, so that's definitely concerning."
Anyone who witnessed the shooting who has not yet spoken with Salem police detectives is asked to call 503-588-8477 and mention case number 24-19870.
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