Jose Casillas booking photo (Credit: Lake County Sheriff’s Office)
LUCERNE // On November 23rd at around 8 PM, Lake County Sheriff’s Deputies arrived at the Sandy Beach Trailer Park on the 5800 block of E. Highway 20 to investigate a reported shooting.
There they were flagged down by witnesses, who informed them that the victim was being taken to hospital in a private vehicle.
The suspected shooter, identified as 33-year-old Jose Francisco Casillas, had allegedly been at the victim’s home on First Avenue earlier that night, intoxicated and showing off a small handgun. At a certain point, Casillas got into an argument with the victim and was told to leave.
Later that night, the victim reportedly went to Casillas’ home and the two argued again, during which Casillas shot him once in the right thigh. While an acquaintance of Casillas came over and took the gun, deputies were nonetheless able to later make contact with said acquaintance and recover it.
The victim’s injuries are reportedly non life-threatening.
Casillas has been arrested and is cahrged with assault with a firearm, felon in possession of a firearm, and being a prohibited person in possession of ammunition. He is housed at the Lake County Jail on $50,000 bond.
