Jilted clubgoer tailed woman who rejected him, complaint alleges

Leah Ward, The Daily Globe, Worthington, Minn.
·2 min read

Apr. 11—PIPESTONE — Police arrived at a rural Pipestone residence around 5 a.m. March 28 for a report that shots had been fired.

Arriving on scene, officers spoke with a female victim who stated that she had met Roberto Guardado, 32, of Pipestone, earlier at a club in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Guardado attempted to interact with the victim, but she rejected his advances.

While dancing with one of the victim's friends, Guardado allegedly showed the friend that he had a gun, pulled out a bullet and told the friend that bullet was for the victim because she was ignoring him.

Guardado followed the victim as she traveled home, showing up at the residence a few minutes later. The victim was outside when he reportedly arrived and pulled out his gun, firing into the air three times. The victim stated that Guardado looked directly at her while firing.

A witness at the scene told police that the victim had almost been struck by one of the shots. After the victim retreated back in the house, Guardado yelled for the victim to come back outside and pointed his handgun at the door of the house, the witness added.

By the time law enforcement arrived, Guardado had fled the scene, but the victim and witness gave a description of his vehicle so police could track him down. Officers found two spent 9mm casings in the driveway of the victim's home.

During a search of Guardado's home, police found multiple firearms, a variety of ammunition and a permit to carry a handgun.

Guardado was arrested and charged with second-degree assault and threats of violence, both felonies. The more serious offense, assault, carries a maximum possible sentence of seven years in prison and/or a $14,000 fine. If convicted, Guardado will be sentenced based on criminal history.

After being advised of his rights, Guardado gave a statement to police. He told officers he had fired two shots into the air, and that he hadn't meant to scare anyone and was just showing off.

Guardado was released from Pipestone County Jail March 31 after posting non-cash bond. He is due in court Tuesday afternoon for an initial appearance.

The Southwest Crisis Center is available in our community to support and empower survivors of sexual and domestic violence. For questions about services or how you can help, contact the Southwest Crisis Center at 1-800-376-4311 or mnswcc.org.