Caloocan police nab suspect in 5-year-old boy’s shooting

The Caloocan police have arrested a man believed to have accidentally shot a five-year-old boy over the weekend.

Police say that the suspect, identified as Russel Arriola, a 35-year-old jobless resident of Heroes del 96, Barangay 73, Caloocan City, was behind the shooting of Prince Christian Villafranca on Saturday morning.

Villafranca was hit in the left knee by a stray bullet believed to have come from Arriola’s gun during the shooting which happened at 9 a.m. on Saturday on Gonzales Street in Barangay 69, Caloocan City.

Police reports showed that Arriola was arrested after a concerned citizen tipped off the police that at the time of the incident, the suspect was just a few steps behind the victim, toying with his .22-cal. gun.

Arriola, who was reportedly under the influence of illegal drugs at that time, then accidentally dropped the gun which went off.

The bullet hit Villafranca who was standing on the street with his father, Rahm Christian. The victim was rushed to President Diosdado Macapagal Memorial Medical Center for treatment.

The police said they were still investigating the incident and gathering evidence against Arriola.—Nathaniel R. Melican