Photos Of Riot Control Police Officer Firing Service Weapon At Protesters

The National Police denied yesterday, both via their Twitter account and in the media, the use of standard issue regulation weapons by the riot control units who were fighting with the protesting Indians who had closed the Inter American highway in San Felix, Chiriqui. However, photographs published on Monday by the newspaper La Estrella reveal otherwise.

In these images - three photos - one police officer can be seen using his standard issue police weapon, so TVN asked the Minister of Government Ricardo Fabrega about this issue. He just answered explicitly, that it will fall to the National Police to conduct an investigation on the subject.

The images appear to be clear evidence of the allegations being made by many Indians and residents in the area, who denounced the use of weapons. The allegation has been made that the authorities were responsible for the death of Jerónimo Rodríguez Tugri, who died as a result of a fatal gunshot wound to the left chest, yesterday morning. However, there an official ruling on the cause of death has not yet been issued. (Estrella)

Editor's Comment: The Director of the National Police said repeatedly that his riot control officers were deployed to the area without their regulation weapons or any other kind of lethal weapons, and they were only using non-lethal instruments such as tear gas and rubber bullets. This cop has his semi auto weapon concealed in his belt in the lower part of his back, because he isn't supposed to have it. He's not wearing a standard leg holster, which sort of indicates to me he very well might have made the decision to bring this weapon on his own. The protesters were using shotguns and hunting rifles in San Felix yesterday. Anyway, not to worry. Now the National Police will investigate the National Police - what could go wrong?