EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — The victim described the terror he felt after a man allegedly took him hostage from a Northeast El Paso bank with the intention of using him as a human shield.
According to the arrest affidavit, the victim told police he was shaking with fear, thinking that he was going to be killed after the suspect, 26-year-old Luis Fernando Colomo, walked into the GECU branch located at 9435 Dyer St. (near the intersection with Diana Drive), and allegedly grabbed him by the back and took him hostage, telling him,
I’m going to use you as a shield if the police or the guys looking for me try to do anything to me.
The incident reportedly happened on Tuesday during business hours.
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The witness told investigators it all started when Colomo walked into the bank, acting nervous.
According to the affidavit, the victim told investigators Colomo reportedly was acting nervously and suspiciously pacing around from the lobby to the back to an emergency exit door.
At this point, the victim told investigators that Colomo called him over and allegedly told the victim that two armed men were following him and wanted to kill him.
The victim described feeling nervous and unsure how to act after hearing that.
So, Colomo reportedly told him,
If you don’t care about me, I don’t care about you either.
The victim then told investigators that at this point, Colomo allegedly grabbed him from the back with one hand inside a little bag, leading him to think that Colomo was armed with a gun or other type of weapon.
The victim said that Colomo then reportedly ordered him to take him to his office so they could call the police.
Inside his office, the victim said Colomo kept looking out at other GECU employees, reportedly telling them,
You guys think this is a joke, I’m going to kill him.
The victim said that after he dialed 911, Colomo appeared to change his mind because he allegedly threw the office phone away.
According to the affidavit, the victim said Colomo then allegedly grabbed him from the back of his jacket and led him outside to a side street that separates the bank from a Starbucks.
When the victim asked Colomo why they were going outside, Colomo allegedly told him he was going to use him as a shield.
Fearing for his life, the victim told investigators that he then tried to escape.
The victim described to investigators that he then tried to slip off his jacket and duck, causing Colomo to trip– giving the victim a chance to escape.
The victim said he then ran back into the GECU branch, while Colomo allegedly ran into a nearby McDonald’s.
According to the affidavit, detectives with the El Paso Police Department watched surveillance video that corroborates the victim’s retelling of the incident.
In the affidavit, detectives described that they spoke with Colomo and he allegedly admitted that he planned to use the victim as a “human shield” but denied ever wanting to kill the victim.
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According to jail records, Colomo was booked into the El Paso County Downtown jail and charged with “aggravated kidnapping use as shield/hostage.”
Jail records also show that as of Friday afternoon, Colomo remains jailed under a $75,000 bond.
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