WINNIPEG — Elvira Paclipan Padillo, who is mourning the death of her only son, says she feels some relief despite her grief after police arrested two individuals in connection with his slaying.
Rustom Paclipan, 23, was killed outside of Opera Ultralounge on Main Street early Sunday morning in what police described as an altercation between two street gangs. Two others were injured.
Paclipan Padillo lives in Vancouver. She was called Sunday morning and told her son had been shot, she said.
She collapsed when she heard the news.
“He got only one bullet — straight to his heart,” she said she was told.
Police have arrested two people in the downtown slaying.
Police allege a firearm was brought to Marcus James Richard, 21, outside the night club by a 16-year-old. Richard faces charges of first-degree murder and two charges of attempted murder for the non-fatal shootings of two other people outside the nightclub.
The 16-year-old Winnipeg boy was charged with manslaughter.
Richard was apprehended by officers at a Via Rail station just outside Sudbury, Ont., Thursday morning. Police believe he was trying to flee to Toronto.
“You don’t know how happy I am right now, that someone got arrested for my son,” Paclipan Padillo said Thursday afternoon.
Paclipan Padillo told Global News that she isn’t aware her son was involved in any gang activity. Paclipan was picked up by friends the night of the incident and taken to Opera to help others, she said.
“Only my son knows if he was in a gang, a member or whatever. But my son … every time his friends were in trouble, he was always there for them.”
Paclipan Padillo told Global that Rustom was to graduate from Red River College May 22. She will attend the graduation ceremony and receive the diploma in his honour.
Richard is to return to Winnipeg to face charges. Police would not say whether more arrests will be made in connection with the incident.
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