Friends of Caleb Quick recount fatal shooting as testimony begins in juvenile murder trial

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Two of Caleb Quick's friends recounted the moments they witnessed his fatal shooting Monday, providing some of the most terrifying testimony yet in the juvenile trial of the teenage girl accused of acting as the getaway driver.

The first day of witness testimony inside Fresno County Superior Court focused on the events immediately before and after the shooting outside a Clovis McDonald's, where prosecutors allege the defendant helped her teenage boyfriend carry out a plan to kill Quick.

"Yes, I watched his body drop," testified Michael Salinas.

Surveillance video shown in court captured Quick and his friends leaving the restaurant moments before the shooting. Quick exited first, followed by another teenage friend and then Salinas, who testified he unknowingly held the door open for a person dressed entirely in black.

"So you hold the door. Tell us what happens next," Chief Deputy District Attorney Kendall Reynolds asked.

"He walked past. He sped, walked to the left, and then he walked up to Caleb, pulled out a stainless steel revolver, put it to the side of his head and pulled the trigger," Salinas testified.

Salinas said the shooter immediately ran away. He remained frozen for a moment before calling 911, while his friend rushed to help Quick.

That friend testified he knelt beside Quick and attempted to stop the bleeding.

"From what area of the body was he bleeding?" Reynolds asked.

"The left side of his head," the teen responded.

"And when you say put pressure on the wound, how did you do that with your hand?"

"I used my right hand to cover the wound, and used my left hand to elevate his head."

The teenage defendant sat quietly throughout the testimony. Her attorneys requested that she be allowed to remove her wrist restraints so she could take notes during the proceedings.

Both prosecutors and defense attorneys have acknowledged the shooting occurred after allegations surfaced that Quick had sexually assaulted one of the defendant's friends.

Another witness, Carlos Navarro, testified the girl shared those allegations with him and several others less than an hour before the shooting.

"... and you say that (the teen suspect) appeared to be on edge?" Reynolds asked.

"Yes," Navarro replied.

"What made you believe that?"

"Because she had already told us about the rumors about Caleb."

The defense maintains the girl never knew her boyfriend intended to kill Quick.

Defense attorney Sally Vecchiarelli pointed to surveillance video shown in court that depicted the defendant running from the McDonald's after the shooting. The footage showed her pausing briefly after seeing Quick on the ground before continuing past him.

"Everything after that happened in shock. The evidence will show she wasn't texting, she wasn't coordinating. Her phone stayed locked, completely locked, because she wasn't communicating with anyone," Vecchiarelli said.

Navarro also testified that while many of their friends remained at the scene, the defendant told him she "had to get out of there."

Jurors are not involved in the case because it is being heard in juvenile court. Fresno County Superior Court Judge Brian Alvarez will ultimately determine whether the girl is guilty.

Several independent witnesses also described seeing a masked person fleeing the area moments after the shooting.

Meg Bowman testified she noticed an individual wearing oversized black clothing with a hood and face covering near the Valero gas station before hearing what she described as a single "very loud bang." Shortly afterward, she said she saw the same person sprint across Willow Avenue toward the CrossCity Church area and called 911.

Richard Gabel gave a similar account. He testified that he heard a loud noise he initially believed was a vehicle backfiring before seeing a person dressed in black run past his vehicle. Gable said he believed the person may have been carrying a handgun, although he was not certain. He later observed a similarly dressed individual running along Nees Avenue and reported the location to dispatchers while remaining on the phone with 911. Gabel also testified that he saw a white Tesla make a sudden U-turn near the church before driving away.

The court also heard testimony from two Clovis police officers who responded to the shooting.

Officer Marcus Burks testified he arrived within minutes of the dispatch call and found Quick lying outside the McDonald's with a severe head injury. Burks said he rendered aid until firefighters arrived and later helped secure the scene and identify witnesses.

Officer Ignacio Ruiz testified he later went to the hospital, where he observed what appeared to be an entry and exit gunshot wound to Quick's head. Ruiz told the court that Quick was pronounced dead at 9:19 p.m., and that the Fresno County Coroner's Office subsequently took custody of the body, officially classifying the case as a homicide.

The trial is expected to continue this week with additional witnesses scheduled to testify.