Yesterday we told you that two teenage boys had been shot while swimming in the river at Guanacaste. 16-year-old Dane Matute was killed, while his cousin, 14-year-old Kalen Wade was shot in the leg.
And after Wade was released from the hospital, his aunt took him and his 17-year-old brother out of the village for the night. But after a shooting occurred in Roaring Creek last night, police this morning detained Wade's brother, thinking that he had retaliated.
And today, the boys' mother is condemning the cops for holding the minor. According to Stephanie Cruz, their family has long been harassed by the Roaring Creek police. She claims that they have falsely charged her for robbery before, planted evidence in her house, and are constantly causing trouble for her sons and nephew.
But now, she's tired because she says her family is the victim in this situation, yet the police are still targeting them.
She vented her frustration to us today.
Stephanie Cruz, Mother of Gunshot Victim
"I am getting sick of this, I am getting tired of this because you call the Roaring Creek police station, you don't get any justice. They don't move, any time things happen, I go station, my sons are in anything, I go to the Roaring Creek station and tell them. Instead of they go over the other side where they call Hattieville are, they come over to our side to bother us. And this isn't fair because if they did what they were supposed to do when we went to complain, this issue would not have been where they end up killing Dane Matute."
"They end up shooting my son. When they called me, I was at the hospital, gyal, three vehicle, full of police is at your house. What are they doing at my house? My son is a victim, they don't need to be at my house, do your job."
"Last night a shooting happened at Roaring Creek. They already said they wanted to see my son, I made them take in my son to Roaring Creek police station. When I end up getting a call, my son detained for the shooting. This doesn't add up, we need justice, this isn't working. Roaring Creek police station needs a whole… a whole overhaul for everybody, high to low."
Courtney Menzies:
"And last night your son wasn't even in the village."
Stephanie Cruz, Mother of Gunshot Victim
"My son wasn't even in the village. My son was with his aunt and this is happening. No man. No no no no. Roaring Creek police station, get your facts together."
"I know why they have my son, my son was targeted because of my first son, David Cruz, they call him Deucey. When they hold my son, "Deucey is your brother," and it's like they bring up all kinds of talking."
Courtney Menzies:
"So your son, after your youngest - he's your youngest, right?"
Stephanie Cruz, Mother of Gunshot Victim
"Yeah."
Courtney Menzies:
"After he's shot, now your middle son is being targeted because of his older brother."
Stephanie Cruz, Mother of Gunshot Victim
"Exactly and it's that they're doing. I am tired of this and I already called my lawyer because I will deal with what I got to deal with because this is pass chance."
Courtney Menzies:
"And as far as you know, your middle son, he's not in any trouble?"
Stephanie Cruz, Mother of Gunshot Victim
"Roaring Creek police make him be in trouble because as something happen they harass him."
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