Video Story
Watch VideoMan who was fined in underage drinking party, later shot three times
Story By: David Ortiviz
Source: KOAA
A man who was shot three times in the neck and chest early Saturday morning in Pueblo was busted by police just a few hours earlier for giving alcohol to minors.
Detectives don't think the incidents are related , but its raised the question--why wasn't the victim, Paul Rodriguez, in jail for throwing an underage drinking party?
It started Friday night, when kids as young as 12 and 13 were reportedly at a drinking party at Rodriguez's home here on Regency Blvd. "We're not real sure if that had anything to do with the shooting," said Sgt. Eric Bravo of the Pueblo Police Department.
Shortly after 1 a.m. Saturday Rodriguez, 25, and eight minors were busted by police and immediately taken to night court where all of them got tickets. Rodriguez doesn't have any prior offenses, so the judge gave him a $300 fine and let him go. "He (Rodriguez) faced a maximum of 90 days in jail as well, but he was a first time offender and when these cases present themselves to us, we have to sort out what they look to us at the time, and it looked like an underage drinking party," said William Alexander, a municipal court judge in Pueblo.
A couple hours later, at 3:40 a.m. Rodriguez's landlord woke up to loud pounding at his door. Rodriguez was at his doorstep, but he reportedly wasn't able to say anything before he was shot twice in the chest, and once in the neck. The landlord told police he didn't see who shot Rodriguez.
Now, the only person who may be able to fill in the blanks is Rodriguez, who's still recovering at the hospital. Police are investigating the shooting as an attempted homicide.
In light of this incident, we asked Judge Alexander if he thought night court was effective. He wouldn't respond to the shooting, but says he believes minors are getting the message that drinking will lead to fines and other penalties. "They're well aware that there is going to be a significant consequence if they're picked up at these parties and we've heard kids say that they won't go to these parties because of that," said Judge Alexander.
