SHOOTING AT THE FLAMINGO

Police were called to the Flamingo Night Club on E. 28th Street in Lorain early this morning for a man down, possibly shot. When the police arrived they found patrons running out of the club onto E. 28th Street yelling that a man had been shot. When police went inside they found a man lying on his back, holding his stomach. The man, later identified by police as 23 year old Isaias Castro of Lorain, told police that he had been shot in the stomach but refused to say who shot him.

During the investigation police learned that Castro might have attempted to shoot someone else and accidentally shot himself. Police also learned that Castro had been involved in an earlier incident where he and a few other males had brandished a weapon at a patron at the Noise Night Club on W. 21st Street and damaged a vehicle before fleeing in a Black 2003 Ford F 150. The police located that truck next to the Flamingo and when they went to secure the vehicle they discovered a male exiting the truck. That man, later learned to be Freddie Sanchez, was stopped and detained. During a search of the vehicle police discovered a baggie of a white chunky substance where Sanchez had just exited (passenger side front seat). The item found was tested and by police and tested positive for crack cocaine. While police were patting down Sanchez they discovered that he had been shot in the right calf area. Sanchez refused to comment on his injury and was then taken to Community Health Partners for treatment.

LifeCare Ambulance paramedics treated Castro and transported him to Community Health Partners. Castro was LifeFlighted a short time later to Metro Health Medical Center in Cleveland for his wounds.

Police were told by one witness that they observed Castro “pushing his way into the dance area reaching down towards his waistband area.” The witness stated he heard a small “pop” a short time later then everyone started running for the exit.

Another witness told police that he observed Castro “walk from the dance floor area over to the pool tables, go down on his knees then lay down on the ground.”