73-Year-Old Business Man Shot Outside Home in Santa Elena Town
An elderly man is hospitalized tonight after he was attacked by a gunman in Santa Elena Town. Just after two a.m., seventy-three-year-old Natalio Castaneda was at his home on Carmen Street, preparing to head over to his tortilla factory when he was approached by two men, one of whom fired several shots in his direction. The men then fled the scene. The incident has left the family in shock, as they ask why anyone would want to target Castaneda. The incident has also left some residents in the area fearful, as police try to ascertain the motive. News Five’s Paul Lopez reports.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
Just after two a.m., seventy-three-year-old Natalio Castaneda was outside his home on Carmen Street in Santa Elena Town when he was ambushed by a two men. One of the men pulled out a gun and fired several shots in his direction before fleeing the scene, leaving Castaneda with multiple gunshot injuries. His wife, Luciana Castaneda spoke with us off camera.
Voice of: Luciana Castaneda
Voice of: Luciana Castaneda, Wife of Shooting Victim
“He got up early and he was working in the kitchen. I heard the pots but I did not get up. So afterwards he got out. I did not hear he get out so usually I hear but this morning I did not hear he get up. So, just when I hear bullets, I heard about four bullets, one behind the other without stopping. So, that is what I recall.”
A neighbor who we spoke with off camera also heard the gunshots. He was awoken by the noise.
Voice of: Carmen Street Resident
“This dah like a normal thing every day. The neighbor deh get up and start to prepare for their work and thing. They start to service their truck. Deh same time deh bally pull up and you just hear a barrage of bullet, about six or seven, hard to and that wake me up then. When deh people the service deh vehicle deh slam up deh bonnet, them time we get up to.”
Natalio Castaneda owns NL’s tortilla factory which is located on George Price Avenue in San Ignacio Town, only a stone’s throw away from where he resides. According to his wife, he routinely starts his day at around two a.m. to prepare for the work ahead inside the factory. This morning, when the shots rang out she quickly sprung out of her bed.
Voice of: Luciana Castaneda, Wife of Shooting Victim
“When I peep through the window I see the window, I saw my husband on the ground and my brother close to him. So, I said well my mind was not thinking that he was shot cause sometimes thing happen in front of my house and they will have quarrel and things like that but when I peep on the window I see my husband on the ground so I said, dad and he answered me everything is ok. I hurry come down and then and said dad. He not even answer me again. At the same time my grandson comes out and he saw his grandfather there. So, by then the neighbor came here and said what happen sis. I said sis look at this. They took him, she went and get her husband and they took him at the community hospital.”
The neighbor says this is the first time he has seen an occurrence like this on Carmen Street. He says, the incident has left him and his elderly father fearful.
Voice of: Carmen Street Resident
“Ih mek I feel scared right now because then yo cant trust now. My old man deh right yah and you wouldn’t know what would happen now. Deh people have dog but me nuh know what happen to the dog mek deh neva bark. I mih expect you would hear something. I don’t know if it is sorounders or what do that, but somebouy mih the watch ah.”
According to police, Castaneda was transported to the Western Regional Hospital in a stable condition. His wife says this is not the first time he has been targeted by gun men over the course of the last four decades.
Voice of: Luciana Castaneda, Wife of Shooting Victim
“We had the first experience, he use to work at BSI and three mask men came out from the bush and they saw him and he told the driver step on it. They start ot shoot, thank god nothing happened. We came here and started the tortilla mill and then about ten years ago when he came bout eight o’clock that day he said they shot me, I said stop say things like that, he said they shot me. He said come and I went where he was sitting and I said I didn’t see anything. I said go report it to the police and he said he already report it. But thank god nothing happened.”
Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.
