State Police are investigating a Santa Cruz man’s claims that he was shot Monday evening while walking down El Llano Road.
James Garcia, 32, told investigators he was walking near Holy Cross Cemetery around 5:30 p.m. when another man, who was accompanied by others, yelled out profanities and shot Garcia in the hand and shoulder when he turned around, State Police Sgt. Chris Valdez said.
Garcia also reported to police he heard someone in the group refer to the shooter by a nickname before they drove off and left Garcia bleeding on the ground.
“(Garcia) said he didn’t know the guy,” Valdez said. “I can’t release the nickname he overheard just yet.”
An unidentified passer-by took Garcia to Española Hospital, where he was still receiving treatment as of Tuesday afternoon for wounds including a shattered middle finger, Valdez said.
But Garcia’s account doesn’t match with what police observed at the scene.
“What’s inconsistent in his story is that we searched the area, and we couldn’t find any evidence of a shooting there,” Valdez said. “And then he told us he can’t say for sure where he was walking when he was shot.”
Despite rainfall shortly before the shooting took place, police could find no footprints or blood anywhere near the cemetery, Valdez said.
Garcia could not be reached for comment.
Valdez said the shooting may be gang-related. Both Valdez and Española Police Sgt. Christian Lopez said that based on the descriptions of the suspects, they think the shooting of Garcia may be related to a separate incident involving gunfire around 4 p.m. Monday in front of Valdez Park.
“We think it might be related, but we’re not positive at this point,” Lopez said.
Lopez and officer Danny Pacheco said an unidentified man approached a group of about 12 teens skateboarding at the park and, after noticing a red rag inside their car, fired three shots at it before fleeing.
“He saw the red rag, and that got him ticked off, I guess he thought it stood for something,” Pacheco said, referring to the man’s suspected gang affiliation.
The teens were not inside the car during the shooting, and they were “scared, shaken, but not hurt,” Pacheco said.