The Valenzuela City Police Station (VCPS) has released its side regarding the death of an 18-year-old man with special needs and maintained the latter tried to take the gun from one of its police officers.
In a post on its Facebook page Monday night, VCPS said Master Sergeant Christopher Salcedo, the police officer accused of killing, was conducting a raid at an illegal tupada or cockfighting site in Barangay Lingunan on Sunday afternoon when victim Edwin Arnigo, a man with autism, suddenly appeared. By that time, Salcedo was manhandling an apprehended individual.
“Bigla umanong sumulpot si Arnigo at nakipag-agawan sa kanya ng kanyang baril na kaagad pumutok at tumama sa kaliwang tagiliran (Arnigo suddenly appeared and fought over the gun, which eventually fired and hit at his side),” VCPS said.
“Dahil dito, nakatakas ang nahuling hawak ni Salcedo (Because of this, the man accosted by Salcedo managed to escape),” it added.
The city police station broke its silence Monday night, several hours after Mayor Rex Gatchalian disclosed that a person with special need was shot dead with a bullet coming from a firearm of a police officer in an alleged gun scuffle.
VCPS’ claim is different from the victim’s family’s narrative, which alleged that Salcedo shot Arnigo before dragging him into a cockfighting site.
Arnigo just went outside their house to buy an ice candy from a store when he was killed. This came after the crowd at a cockfighting site dispersed upon learning of the police operation.
Two individuals were arrested following the operation and were charged with Illegal gambling and direct assault and for violation of the social distancing and face mask ordinances.