The Daviess County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) has identified Nelson Castillo, 21, as the man fatally shot during a disturbance early Sunday morning at a party at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Owensboro. Castillo, who DCCO initially thought to be from Tennessee, was later confirmed to be a resident of Utica, Kentucky.
According to DCSO, the shooting occurred after a fight broke out involving several party guests. Security guards attempted to break up the altercation, which had spilled into the parking lot. During the confrontation, Castillo was armed with a handgun, according to DCSO. One of the security guards fired his weapon, striking Castillo.
Deputies arrived at the scene around 12:30 a.m. Sunday and found Castillo unresponsive with a gunshot wound to the chest, authorities say. Life-saving efforts were made before Castillo was transported to Owensboro Health Regional Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. The Daviess County Coroner’s Office attended the autopsy on Monday, with the preliminary cause of death being ruled as homicide.
Detectives are continuing their investigation, including interviews with witnesses, some of whom require interpreters due to language barriers, according to DCSO. Two firearms were recovered from the scene — one belonging to the security guard and another from Castillo, DCSO said. Neither weapon was reported stolen. Authorities are also analyzing cell phone video evidence related to the incident.
The security guards involved remained at the scene and have been cooperating with investigators, according to authorities. DCSO stated there is no ongoing threat to the public. The investigation is still ongoing.
Read the OT’s previous coverage of the occurrence here.
