CHULA VISTA, Calif. (KGTV) - A local man is recounting the harrowing details after he survived being shot twice in his RV near a Chula Vista park last Sunday.
On Saturday night, after a long day of work as a plumber, Martin Padilla drove his truck, pulling the RV he calls home, and parked it outside Valle Lindo Park. He went right to sleep.
“Got woken up by banging. 12 a.m., 12:30 a.m. maybe,” said Padilla.
Padilla heard the loud racket along the side of his RV. He opened the door to see what was going on. He was greeted by three young men.
“They straight up said, 'Get him out. Let’s jump him,’” said Padilla.
Padilla say while he stood at the entrance, the three, in their upper teens, attacked him.
“For around five to ten minutes, I was fighting them, pushing them off, kicking them out, as they were trying to get in,” said Padilla.
At one point, one of his attackers grew frustrated and went to their car.
“See a guy come from the car, pull out a gun from his pocket and aim straight at my body, and then he fired two shots,” said Padilla.
After the gunshots, the shooter said something.
“The shooter said, ‘Don’t ever come back here again,’” said Padilla. “I remember a burning sensation. I remember them scattering like roaches."
As his attackers drove off, he called 911.
At the hospital, surgeons removed a bullet from his bladder. Another remains lodged in his ackside. Padilla says his road to recovery will take months.
As he begins to heal, a grateful Padilla hopes sharing his story will lead to tips to track down his attackers.
“An inch or so could have taken my life. These guys need to be caught, because next time, it could be worse, and they could end up taking a life,” said Padilla.
Padilla says doctors will remove the other bullet in the next few weeks. He didn't get a good look at the suspects’ vehicle.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477,
A Gofundme campaign has been set up for Padilla with medical and other expenses.
