Two very different sides of the story about an incident that happened Saturday evening at a church in Walnut, where the East San Gabriel Valley Coalition for the Homeless was hosting a shelter.

Officials with the advocacy group claim two of their staff members were attacked by a man who came in demanding services, but refusing to give his name.
Colleen Castellano, director of the East San Gabriel Valley Coalition for the Homeless, said the man attacked the staff members with an unknown substance that caused them burns and “mutilation.”

Two deputies with the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department responded to the incident. Their log tells a very different story.

They claim the man was intoxicated, was arguing with staff members, and was combative, according to Sgt. Randy Lascurain. But deputies Jimmy Osorio and Jesus Hernandez said the guy eventually became cooperative and left the shelter on his own. No police report was filed because staff members at the shelter did not want to make an arrest, Lascurain said.

Castellano said her staff members DID want the man arrested, but the deputies didn’t want to help.

“When they arrived, the officer told us we asked for it because we bring these people in, we’re enablers,” she said. “They escorted the man off the premises and that’s it. They didn’t do anything.”

Guess we’ll never know what really happened. The coalition said they won’t be filing any sort of complaint because that’s not part of “what they do.”