Central witness testifies at London bush party shooting trial

The first day of testimony at the fatal bush bash shooting trial heard from a 21-year-old woman who was at the party when things turned deadly.

Isabella Restrepo told the jury that she was among the 100 partygoers in the wooded lot off Pack Road in south London on July 30, 2021.

She said it was supposed to be a fun time for all because they were celebrating the birthday of a friend, "It was lighthearted, and we were just happy to be together."

However, within minutes there was an altercation with people she didn’t know with one of them being the co-accused 22-year-old Emily Altmann. Restrepo said, "I had thrown a can, it could have been alcohol... those women and Emily come up to me and yell at me...that I had spilled a drink." She continued, "They said that we poured drinks on them and that we recorded it... I didn't pour drinks on them."

After that she told the court that several people were exchanging messages through text and Snapchat saying, "We were told to either leave the bush party or hide because we had received news that people were showing up with weapons." She continued, “We started hiding... we were scared."

Restrepo said after a while her friend 18-year-old Josue Silva decided to walk out into the clearing with some others, and that’s when he was shot, "I heard the voices of the women who were yelling at me previously and... I heard fireworks, what sounded like a loud popping sound."

She added, "I heard people talking and laughing and running off...I walked out, and I saw Josue on the ground."

While fighting back tears she said that when she came out of hiding, "He (Silva) was on his back struggling to breathe."

Silva was shot in the abdomen and later pronounced dead in hospital.

Days later, Altmann along with Carlos Guerra Guerra, 23, would be charged.

Both have plead not guilty to second degree murder and assault causing bodily harm.

Earlier in the day Silva's father Ricardo testified about the last night he saw his son alive. Before going out to the party Josue asked his dad for a few beers. He said he expected the first year Western University student to be home by 2:00 a.m., but instead he was awakened in the middle of the night.

He recalled when police officers came to his door with the news that would change his life forever, "I remember I turned, and I said something had happened to Josue...and he passed away."

Silva said moments later his son’s friend started showing up to the family home.

The trial which is slated to last ten weeks resumes on Friday.