It Was Reported That He Was Waving the Knife and Chasing People
SALINAS—Two Salinas Police Officers are on Administrative leave after both of them fired their service weapons at a knife-wielding suspect who was acting erratically at an East Salinas Shopping Center on Friday evening.
On Friday, May 9, at 7:20 p.m. County Communications received several phone calls from people stating that a man, later identified as 26-year-old Salinas resident Osman Hernandez, was chasing people around the parking lot waving a large knife. When police arrived at the scene, they quickly realized that the suspect was not going to comply with simple commands.
Based on his behavior the officers decided to use their TASERS in order to subdue the man. As the officers tried to handcuff the tased suspect, he quickly pulled up his shirt and exposed the large knife. The suspect quickly grabbed the knife and pulled it out towards the two officers.
“Fearing that they were going to be stabbed, the two officers fired their service weapons.” Salinas Police Commander Vincent Maiorana said in a press release, “The Tasers that we employed had little to no effect on Hernandez.”
The two officers that were involved in the shooting are on administrative leave, which is common in a case like this one. The Salinas Police Department is still actively investigating this incident.
“They killed Osman like a dog as he lay on the ground.” A family spokesperson said in a press release, “Osman’s life had value—We want the truth!”
Hernandez has no arrest history in the City of Salinas.
The Salinas Police is asking that those who may have witnessed the incident be urged to contact the Salinas Police Department Investigation Bureau at 1-831-758-7913 or 1-831-758-7276. Limited video surveillance can be viewed through the links below.
Read More:
KSBW: Family of man shot by Salinas Police: They killed Osman like a dog
KION: Salinas Police: Officers were justified in killing man outside Mi Pueblo
