Chelcey Adami

The Californian

A shooting left four victims and crowds of homeless people frightened in Chinatown on Wednesday evening.

Chinatown residents on scene said multiple shooters on foot fired around a dozen shots before fleeing. People shouted "duck" as people dropped to the ground or ran for safety, people standing behind police tape on Soledad Street said. They declined to be named for safety reasons.

None of the victims' injuries were life-threatening, and several police units remained on scene conducting interviews and looking for evidence as part of the investigation. One woman cried as she held her hands to her head in distress while she was carried away on a stretcher by paramedics on Soledad Street.

Around 8:19 p.m., police responded to gunshots in the area of East Lake Street and Bridge Alley after being alerted by Shot Spotter, a gunshot location system. The system's first alert recorded eight shots fired, and less than 30 seconds later, it alerted to four more shots.

When an officer arrived, he saw a woman being helped by two people from East Lake Street onto North Main Street. When the two people helping her saw the officer, they dropped the 34-year-old woman in front of a residence on North Main Street and fled, according to Salinas police. The woman was transported to Natividad Medical Center and treated for gunshot wounds to her foot and ankle.

Other officers found a 58-year-old woman in the area of East Lake Street and Bridge Street suffering from a grazing gunshot wound to the head. She was also taken to Natividad Medical Center where she was placed in the intensive-care unit in stable condition with a non-life threatening injury, according to police.

Officers found two more victims in the area of 30 Soledad Street. A 60-year-old woman was taken to Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital with a gunshot wound to her foot, and a 27-year-old man was taken to Natividad Medical Center for a gunshot wound to his thigh.

It appears two males approached a group of people, and for unknown reasons, they pulled out handguns and began shooting, according to police. No words were exchanged, and no motive is known for the shooting. The suspects were described as Hispanic males, wearing grey hooded sweatshirt and dark jeans. They were last seen running south on Soledad Street toward Market Street.

If anyone has any information regarding this shooting, they are asked to contact the Salinas Police Department Investigations Bureau at 831 758-7226. To remain anonymous, call the Salinas Police Department Anonymous Tip Line at 831-775-4222, or the We-Tip Line at 1-800-78-CRIME. You may be eligible for up to a $1,000 reward.

The area, historically known as a haven for Salinas homeless, saw a spike in deadly violence last year when five people were shot and killed in Chinatown over the course of four weeks between August and September.

This article was amended with updated information from Salinas police. Contact reporter Chelcey Adami at 831-754-4261 or cadami@thecalifornian.com