College student from Hawaii in coma after suspected hate crime

The family of a 22-year-old college student from Hawaii Kai, found May 15 unconscious and with severe injuries near railroad tracks in Truckee, Calif., is hoping for answers into what they say appears to be a hate crime.

Aaron Salazar, a 2015 Kaiser High School graduate, was taking an Amtrak train from Colorado, where he visited his father and other family members, back to Portland, Ore., where he is a third-year Portland State University economics major.

Sonia Trujillo, a cousin and spokeswoman for the family, told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser on Thursday that Salazar suffered extensive injuries, including a cervical spine fracture, broken nose and pelvis, damage to ribs and abdomen, and a brain stem injury that left him in a coma.

But the fact that Salazar, a gay man, sustained burns to his thighs and groin area and down his leg, and that he still had his wallet and phone, indicate this may have been a hate crime and not some sort of robbery, said Trujillo from Albuquerque, N.M.

“This kind soul, who has never hurt anyone and has only spread positivity and love, was beaten and left by the railroad for dead,” wrote Austin Sailas on a GoFundMe page, adding the family remains optimistic as Salazar tries to open his eyes and has made remarkable progress.

Salazar’s family members, including his mother and sister from Hawaii Kai, as well as others from Colorado, flew to be by his bedside at Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno, Nev.

His last communication with family was a text to his grandmother in Hawaii Kai saying, “I have a layover before getting on the next train.”

He added, “‘I met a new friend on the train,’ and they’re going to explore and get some food before getting on the next train,” Trujillo related.

The family learned what happened when his mother got a call saying that her son had been in an accident. “They were taking him to a hospital. He was found next to some train tracks in Truckee.”

Trujillo said since the family has not gotten any answers from Amtrak, she appealed to the Truckee and Reno police departments and even called the FBI, but to no avail.

“They’re saying it’s the jurisdiction of Amtrak. It’s Amtrak police investigating an Amtrak incident. Are they out there to protect us, or are they out there to protect themselves?” she said. “It’s like if Home Depot had their own police department and had an incident and they investigated it. It doesn’t make sense.”

“We just need answers,” said Trujillo, who can be contacted through Facebook. “We need someone who saw something to come forward.”

Amtrak responded Thursday to a Star-Advertiser call with this statement: “The Amtrak Police Department is conducting an ongoing investigation into this incident. The police department has conducted numerous interviews with customers, crew members, family and friends, as well as reviewed other available data and sources.

“After reviewing all the available material, the FBI was contacted and made aware of this investigation. At this time, there is nothing to suggest criminal intent.” Anyone with information is asked to call 800-331-0008.

Truckee police did not return a call, but said in a statement to other media it is not actively involved in the investigation, and that Amtrak is the most appropriate authority since all information indicates the incident originated and occurred on an Amtrak train.

Truckee police responded at 11:30 a.m. to a call of a person lying only feet from the railroad tracks. They found he had significant injuries and assisted.