Murder Charges Filed Against Suspect In Killing of Salinas Police Officer Jorge Alvarado

SALINAS (BCN) -- Monterey County prosecutors on Tuesday announced murder charges against a man accused of shooting and killing a Salinas police officer during a traffic stop last week.

Officer Jorge Alvarado died after pulling over a vehicle driven by Gustavo Matias Morales around 10:45 p.m. Friday on East Market Street in Salinas. Morales allegedly exited his vehicle and fired multiple rounds at Alvarado, who was able to fire, striking the suspect in the hand, according to the Monterey County District Attorney's Office.

Salinas Police Officer Jorge David Alvarado (Salinas Police Department0

Morales was set for arraignment Tuesday afternoon on charges of murder and shooting at an occupied vehicle, with a special circumstance for murder of a police officer and a firearm enhancement. The special circumstance makes the case eligible for the death penalty or a life sentence without the possibility of parole upon conviction, prosecutors said.

Flags have been flown at half staff at all municipal buildings throughout Monterey County in memory of Alvarado.

Read more
f

We and our partners use cookies to understand how you use our site, improve your experience and serve you personalized content and advertising. Read about how we use cookies in our cookie policy and how you can control them by clicking Manage Settings. By continuing to use this site, you accept these cookies.