NewsWest 9
ODESSA - Dozens of people were at Floyd Gwin Park's baseball fields and the swimming pool when a deadly shooting happened Tuesday night. NewsWest 9 spoke with one witness who found the victim seconds after he was shot.
The man who we'll call "John" was coaching his T-ball players Tuesday evening at Floyd Gwin Park when the first shot rang out.
"Everybody sort of froze," John said.
Seconds later, there was more gunfire.
A slight panic came over the park after people realized a shooting was happening close to where they were.
"We told all the parents to get the kids to the dugout, both teams," John said.
John walked toward the parking lot and found 23-year-old Gabriel Castillo lying on the ground.
"He was pretty much beside his car where he got shot at," John said. "He had a gun on his back pocket."
John said he also noticed some cash on the ground near by.
"It concerns us," John said. "Thank God none of the kids got hurt or the bullets went anywhere else."
Castillo died on the way to the hospital.
Police said the murder is possibly drug-related but they're still trying to piece together what led up to the shooting.
"We need the public's help, anyone with information to come forward," Cpl. Steve LeSueur, said. "Somebody's life has been lost."
John feels the shooting is a sign of the times but he's hoping increased patrols in parks will prevent this scenario from playing out again.
"With the way Odessa is becoming more violent, it's gonna happen and it's gonna continue to happen. All we can do is be more on the lookout," John said.
