PHOENIX — An armed man who was shot by an off-duty officer outside a Phoenix care facility earlier this month was threatening to shoot his ex-wife, court documents reveal.
On the morning of March 11, Jose Manuel Castillo was in the parking lot of Hacienda Healthcare in south Phoenix waiting for his ex-wife to get to work. According to court documents, the woman told police she was walking to the front doors when her ex-husband grabbed her and held her at gunpoint.
The woman told police she tried to fight him off and in doing so fell to the ground, court documents read. That's when the officer heard her yell for help and found Castillo pointing a gun at her while he stood over.
According to court documents, the officer asked Castillo to drop his gun but Castillo instead ran away and shot at his ex-wife. The officer shot Castillo and he fell to the ground.
Court documents reveal Castillo continued to shoot at his ex-wife after he was shot. The officer shot him again, this time stopping him.
The woman told police she had recently finalized her divorce and had an order of protection against Castillo. According to court documents, she didn't know he had a weapon.
The suspect was taken to the hospital in critical condition at a local hospital and was discharged from the hospital on March 28.
Castillo is being charged with attempted first-degree murder and for violating an order of protection.
The shooting in the parking lot came while Hacienda Healthcare is under strict state oversight following the arrest of a nurse accused of raping an incapacitated patient who gave birth. This incident is not related to that case.