Friends and neighbors speak about Frida Castillo

LAREDO, Tex. (KGNS) - The family of a deadly shooting in the Cheyenne subdivision awaits justice while friends and colleagues come together to remember Frida Castillo.

Castillo’s childhood friend, Kayla Trevino, recalled the moments gunfire rang out near her home at the 3900 block of Bannock Lane on Saturday morning, March 14.

“I heard maybe ten shots, and I didn’t think anything of it because it was probably at the park. Then I heard it the second time, but they were closer. They were right there,” Trevino said.

She added, “We went to the same elementary school, and I would go on the bus with her. We would come home, and I would sometimes go to her house, and we did have a good bond, me and her; I wasn’t expecting this to happen.“

Trevino, along with dozens of other neighbors, continue to pay respects to Castillo and her family by setting up mementos outside the front of her house, such as balloons, flowers, and pictures.

“I’m praying, asking for peace and strength for the family. We still can’t sleep well at night,“ said Juany Echandy, a neighbor of Castillo.

On Wednesday morning, March 19, the South Texas Training Center set up a special altar to celebrate Castillo, who was studying to become a patient care technician.

The Director of the South Texas Training Center, Edna Sepulveda, says Castillo’s passing has been difficult for students and staff members; however, they decided to hold a memorial ceremony to provide a sense of closure to her friends and family.

“Her students are not saying much; they are very quiet and very saddened. I’m sure she probably shared a lot with them. A lot of them have not come to school, but they are grieving in their own way. We’re just taking it day by day,“ Sepulveda said.

While the community continues to mourn the loss of Castillo, Joe Baeza with the Laredo Police Department says her mother and brother remain in stable condition.

“They are still not out of the woods yet and have a long road to recovery. This whole situation has been a nightmare for the family, so they have a long way to go,“ Baeza said.

Police say the alleged shooter, Fernando Machado, remains hospitalized and will face murder and aggravated assault charges once he is discharged.

Additionally, the officer involved has been placed on administrative reassignment due to the use of force.

For more headlines, click here.