Armando del Carmen Castro Contreras died that day at 4:00 hours, in Calama, from a pulmonary embolism originating from a gunshot wound that caused quadriplegia due to a spinal cord transection, as stated in his Death Certificate.

On September 21, 1973, at approximately 22:45 hours, Armando Castro—a recognized militant of the Partido Comunista in San Pedro de Atacama—was arrested at his home by a military patrol belonging to the Calama Regiment, accompanied by a Carabineros vehicle.

According to statements from his spouse and accounts provided by Armando Castro himself before he died, the uniformed officers entered his home violently and forced him into a military vehicle, where they shot him in the back. They took him to the local Carabineros station, where he remained wounded throughout the night, and subsequently to a hospital facility where he was released.

Due to the gunshot impact, Armando Castro was paralyzed from the neck down. His spouse sought medical attention at various hospital facilities, as his condition continued to worsen. She eventually transferred him to the Hospital de Calama, where he passed away a few months later.

Considering the evidence gathered and the investigation conducted by this Corporation, the Superior Council declared Armando del Carmen Castro Contreras a victim of human rights violations by State agents who made irrational use of force.