A former police officer from Waukegan has been found guilty of official misconduct and is now set to face charges related to a fatal shooting in 2020, as reported by the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office on Friday.
Dante Salinas was fired from the Waukegan Police Department in 2020, shortly after being involved in that police shooting.
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However, back in 2019, he was involved in an incident where he was accused of aggravated assault following an altercation with a suspect outside a baptism party in Waukegan.
Approximately six years ago, Salinas stopped by a Waukegan residence where a gathering of a couple dozen people was in progress, after allegedly detecting loud noises emanating from the property.
This resulted in a confrontation with Angel Salgado, an attendee of the party. Prosecutors assert that the situation intensified when Salinas drew his gun, later switching to his Taser.
Salinas pulled out the gun within moments of getting out of his squad car, video shows.
“He approached with the gun aimed at Salgado’s face. At that stage, he needed justification to shoot. Meanwhile, Mr. Salgado had his hands raised and was unarmed. This is unacceptable,” explained attorney Kevin O’Connor.
Salinas’ bodycam footage reveals him utilizing his Taser on Salgado multiple times. Prosecutors also allege that the officer struck Salgado in the face, fracturing his eye socket.
Salgado’s wife, Talia, testified in court, saying, “I fear for his life. The officer was going to shoot him.”
The alleged victim told the court he did nothing wrong. He said he broke no laws, and he had no idea why the officer attacked him.
In a bench trial, Judge George Strickland found Salinas guilty of battery and official misconduct. He was found not guilty of aggravated battery.
The judge said none of this was justified, while also acknowledging police officers have a difficult job.
“I can’t remember a time I saw an officer resort to striking (a suspect) this quickly. This should not have occurred,” Strickland said.
Prosecutors say they believe it’s the first time in Waukegan history a police officer has been convicted in relation to an arrest.
Salinas’ sentencing hearing is scheduled for Oct. 28. Salinas could potentially face a maximum of up to five years in prison, but he is also eligible for probation.
O’Connor represented Salgado in a civil suit, which he says the city settled out of court for $300,000.
Salinas left court without comment.
“We didn’t get all three convictions. But we got one, and that’s big for this community,” community activist Clyde McLemore said.
The family of the man who Salinas is charged with killing in an October 2020 police shooting was in court on Monday, watching the proceedings in the separate misconduct case.
Investigators say Salinas shot and killed 19-year old Marcellis Stinnette and injured his girlfriend, Tafarra Williams, after trying to stop the couple’s car.
Waukegan police said the incident started as a traffic stop, with Salinas investigating a suspicious vehicle. But the situation quickly escalated to a police-chase-turned-shooting heard on police dashcam video.
Prosecutors say Salinas fired seven shots but did not have his body camera recording until after the shooting.
Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart says Stinnette was a passenger in Williams’ car and did not commit any crime.
Neither Stinnette nor Williams had any weapons on them, Rinehart says.
A trial date has not yet been set in the second-degree murder case. The victim’s family filed a civil lawsuit, which has been settled outside of court.
O’Connor says the video from the 2019 case should have been a warning.
“After this happened, I went to City Council, and said, ‘please watch this video. This officer is out of control. He could kill somebody,'” O’Connor said.
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