Rockland Man Who Shot Woman From A Fire Escape Sentenced To Prison

SPRING VALLEY, NY — A Spring Valley man who shot a woman through a window in March was sentenced to 7.5 years in state prison after his conviction for first-degree assault, Rockland County District Attorney Thomas E. Walsh II announced Thursday.

Kevin Castillo, 22, will also have 5 years of post-release supervision, according to the DA's Office.

On March 24, at 3:06 a.m., Spring Valley police responded to a residence to investigate a reported shooting, prosecutors said. Upon their arrival, the victim’s mother rushed down the stairs to beckon the officers inside. The officers found a young woman lying in the entryway of a room with a visible, bleeding gunshot wound on her right forearm that did not appear to have an exit wound.

She told them that Castillo was on the fire escape ladder and she told him to leave. She said he began to shoot a handgun, and one of the bullets struck her in the arm before he climbed down and ran away.

First responders transported her to Westchester Medical Center where she underwent emergency surgery, which was successful, Walsh said.

Multiple law enforcement agencies canvassed the area for Castillo. He was located and arrested about an hour and a half after the shooting, prosecutors said.

"Keeping Rockland County residents safe from gun violence is a top priority of mine. The defendant in this case recklessly fired a handgun into a room without any regard for the victim, who underwent emergency surgery for her injuries. I commend the law enforcement agencies involved for their thorough investigation and quickly apprehending the defendant. The defendant will now be held accountable for his actions."

"My Office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state, and local level to get illegal firearms off the street," he said.

The case was investigated by the Spring Valley Police Department with assistance from
the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office, Rockland County Sheriff’s Office, Ramapo
Police Department, and Clarkstown Police Department. The case was prosecuted by
Executive Assistant District Attorney Michael Dugandzic and Supervising Assistant District
Attorney Nicole Garcia.