MONTEREY, CA – In the early morning hours of Saturday, March 28, 2026, officers with the Monterey Police Department were conducting area checks in the 600 block of Cannery Row. At approximately 1:09 a.m., officers observed a physical altercation between two individuals near the Salty Seal Pub. Upon approaching the scene, officers located an individual on the ground who appeared to be unconscious. The second individual involved in the fight fled the area on foot.
Officers initiated a pursuit but lost sight of the person near 425 Cannery Row. A subsequent search of local businesses, the Monterey Plaza Hotel, and the surrounding vicinity did not locate the individual. The Pacific Grove Police Department provided assistance with crowd control during the initial investigation. The victim of the assault was transported to a local hospital, where they were later released. The victim declined to provide the Monterey Police Department with information regarding the incident.
At approximately 8:14 a.m. that same day, hotel staff at the Monterey Plaza Hotel contacted the police after reviewing surveillance footage from the previous night. The video showed an individual jumping over a patio railing at approximately 1:10 a.m. The railing is positioned approximately two stories above a rocky beach area. During this time, a member of the public arrived at the police station to inquire if a relative had been arrested, noting that the relative had not returned home.
The Monterey Fire Department fireboat was deployed to assist in a water and shoreline search. At approximately 11:53 a.m., the subject was located beneath the promenade, a distance away from the initial fall site. The individual was transported to a local hospital, where he later died. The investigation into these events remains ongoing. The Monterey Police Department has requested that anyone with relevant information contact Detective Wayland Kopp or utilize the anonymous tip line.
