Court documents reveal new details into deadly Springfield shooting

SPRINGFIELD, MA (WGGB/WSHM) - We’re learning new information about the deadly shooting in Springfield last week and court documents said that the issue surrounded alleged bullying on a school bus.

Christina Guzman and Rafael Calo were both charged with murder in connection to the deadly shooting of 34-year-old Justin Breitung. Western Mass News obtained court documents that detailed the events that led up to his death. Last Monday morning, Guzman reported to police that Breitung put his hands on her eight-year-old son and reprimanded him for bullying his eight-year-old daughter.

Later in that day, Breitung went to the bus stop to pick up his daughter and that’s when the suspects allegedly began to fight him. Court documents stated that he began running when a man, later identified as Calo, shot him. They also stated that video evidence reportedly showed Guzman yelling: “shoot, keep shooting,” which is why they were both charged with murder in this case.

All of these events played out at a bus stop on Belmont Avenue. Western Mass News spoke with Breitung’s wife, Alicia, late last week, who said her daughter had been bullied by the young boy for quite some time, as they share the same school bus and that both she and her husband complained to the school and police about his behavior.

“All of those people who deal with problems on the bus should’ve took more action and this whole situation could have been prevented if they did their jobs,” said Alicia Breitung.

Western Mass News reached out to Springield Public Schools about her claims and they sent us a statement from Superintendent Daniel Warwick that read:

“Springfield Public Schools is aware of an ongoing criminal investigation by the Springfield Police Department in connection with a shooting that took place in a neighborhood not on school premises on Monday, March 20th.”

Alicia Breitung told us she knows what her husband did was wrong, but that he didn’t have to lose his life over it.

“My husband was murdered for trying to stop bullying towards my daughter and I wouldn’t wish that on anyone,” Breitung said.

Both suspects were held without the right to bail during their arraignments.

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