Witness: Shooting Victim Didn't Point Gun at Ariz. Deputy

[lewisipso]

MESA, Ariz. --

An eyewitness to a deadly shooting involving a Maricopa County Sheriff's deputy disputes the sheriff's account of how the shooting happened on Crescent Avenue in Mesa on Friday night.
Miguel Hernandez said he watched a deputy shoot Felipe Castellanos, his neighbor, from his front window.
"The sheriff's deputies just came up running up to him and then they told him to turn off the engine. And he just put it in park, like he was going in reverse. He put it in park . . . and then they he shot him three times," said Hernandez.
On Monday, Maricopa Sheriff Joe Arpaio said Castellanos had threatened deputies with an AK-47 before he was shot two times.
Arpaio said Castellanos died from his gunshot wounds Monday morning.
"When a deputy approached, he was acting strange; swearing at our deputy, pointed a rifle at our deputy, who fired the two shots, one hitting the subject in the head," said Arpaio.
"I never saw that. I was right here and it happened right there. I, I never saw him raise his gun or anything," said Hernandez.

Witness: Shooting Victim Didn't Point Gun at Ariz. Deputy: Top News Stories at Officer.com

[lewisipso]

They said Castellanos returned to his home a short time later and grabbed an AK-47 and ammunition from his home.

He said Castellanos did not seem prone to violence and does not think he was trying to hurt deputies.

Does this mean he was one of those quiet people that always live next door?

"I never saw that. I was right here and it happened right there. I, I never saw him raise his gun or anything," said Hernandez.

[pgg]

Next thing you'll know they will tell us how he went to church last week also

[MacLean]

Next thing you'll know they will tell us how he went to church last week also

But he was just now that day turning his life around!

[keith720]

"I praise my deputy for taking proper professional action," Arpaio said. "When you have a person like this, that has all the ammunition, the gun, what was he going to do if we did not stop him?"
Arpaio said Castellanos is a convicted felon and an illegal immigrant.


At least Sheriff Joe has the balls to stand behind his officers!

[keith720]

Next thing you'll know they will tell us how he went to church last week also

I can pretty much guess that he's gonna be in a church somewhere this week for the showing.

[lewisipso]

"They should do something else, not kill him," he said.

I'm so sick of hearing this dribble. Just once before I die or retire I would like to know some idiot said this and was then put in that position to do it. I can hear them screaming like a little girl already.

[McCrackhd]

My favorite, still, is after a burglary suspect went running through back yards while shooting at officers. One of my academy classmates lit him up with his Remington. On the news that night, the jerk off's grandmother got on tv and claimed that he couldn't have done what the police said because he drew pictures of Jesus as a child. Everytime we have an OIS here now, me and my wife quote that.

[Jenna]

On the news that night, the jerk off's grandmother got on tv and claimed that he couldn't have done what the police said because he drew pictures of Jesus as a child.

The Jesus in his pictures would not have approved of him shooting at officers.

[213th]

I'm so sick of hearing this dribble. Just once before I die or retire I would like to know some idiot said this and was then put in that position to do it. I can hear them screaming like a little girl already.

What, you mean you can't set phasers to stun?? But they do it on tv!

[Donut Aficionado]

"Arpaio said Castellanos is a convicted felon and an illegal immigrant"

I think he was just mis-understood. He only came here to work at jobs American wont do, send money home to his Mother and practice freedom of religion.