Police Lieutenant murdered on public bus in Bolívar, Cauca
Lieutenant Álvaro José Medina Peña was murdered while travelling in civilian clothes on a public bus in Cauca. The National Police confirmed the crime and promised to clarify the facts.
Police officer killed after being forced off bus in Cauca
Lieutenant Álvaro José Medina Peña, commander of the Bolívar Police Station in Cauca, was murdered whilst travelling in civilian clothes on a public service bus, according to laopinion.com.co. The officer was travelling without his uniform, headed to El Bordo, where he was to assist with police operations in that area of the department.
According to available information, the officer was forced to leave the vehicle before being attacked. The exact circumstances of the crime are under investigation and those responsible have not yet been publicly identified.
The director of the National Police, Major General Jesús Alejandro Barrera Peña, expressed regret at the death of the lieutenant in an official statement. "It pains us to say goodbye to a police officer who, with courage and a sense of service, went out to fulfil the mission he had undertaken for Colombia," said Barrera Peña, who described the murder as a "cruel and ruthless" act.
The institution confirmed that it will stand by the family members, colleagues and associates of Lieutenant Medina Peña in the days following his death. The National Police also announced that it will concentrate its efforts on identifying those responsible for the crime. "We will not rest until we clarify these facts, find those responsible and ensure they answer to justice," the entity stated.
One of the key points that the investigation will need to resolve is whether the attack was directly linked to the officer's status as a police officer, given that he was travelling in civilian clothes and without visible identification at the time he was intercepted.
The homicide adds to a series of violent incidents that have affected members of the Public Force in the Cauca department, a region that persistently faces episodes of insecurity against uniformed officers.
Source: Google News CO — Crime