Angel Castillo was 17 when he was shot and killed on January 3, 2021, at the corner of Liberty and Canada streets on Santa Barbara’s lower Eastside. The shooting happened just after sunset, a day before he was due to return to classes at Santa Barbara High School. Angel was struck in the back by an unknown assailant; 18-year-old Omar Montiel-Hernandez was also killed and two other teens were injured in the same incident.

Police initially described the incident as gang-related, a characterization Angel’s mother, Rita Castillo, strongly disputed. She said Angel was not affiliated with any gang, described him as calm, sweet, and shy, and noted he had recently been hired at his great-uncle’s auto body shop and was doing well in school despite learning challenges. The shooting left the family and community devastated.

Does anyone have information about Angel’s last day or about the area near Liberty and Canada streets that could help clarify what happened?