Police Lieutenant murdered in Cauca whilst travelling in civilian clothes on bus
The subcommander of Bolívar station, Lieutenant Álvaro Medina Peña, was shot dead in Cauca. Two more police officers were killed on Friday in Catatumbo.
Police subcommander killed in Cauca whilst travelling on public bus
Lieutenant Álvaro José Medina Peña, subcommander of the police station in the municipality of Bolívar, was murdered by unknown assailants whilst travelling in civilian clothes on a public transport bus in the department of Cauca, in south-west Colombia, infobae.com reported on Saturday.
"It hurts to bid farewell to a police officer who, with courage and dedication to service, went out to fulfil the mission he had undertaken with Colombia. Lieutenant Álvaro José Medina Peña was killed in a cruel and ruthless manner, whilst travelling in civilian clothes on a public transport bus in the department of Cauca," said the director of the Colombian police, General Jesús Alejandro Barrera, on X.
According to the institution, Medina was travelling to the locality of El Bordo, also in Cauca, for the purpose of "fulfilling his duty and supporting the police service". The police added that the officer "will be remembered for his dedication to service, his commitment and the uniform he wore with honour until his final moment".
In the area where the crime occurred, the Central General Staff (Estado Mayor Central, EMC), the largest breakaway faction of the former FARC; the guerrilla group National Liberation Army (ELN); and drug trafficking organisations that are disputing territorial control of the region are all operating.
The homicide was not the only one recorded in recent days. Two other police officers were murdered on Friday on a road in the Catatumbo region, in the north-east of the country, an area where the ELN and Front 33 of the FARC breakaway factions also have a presence.
In reaction to this double crime, Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella responded on X: "I have ordered the identification and capture of those responsible. I am going to demand payment from them for every drop of blood of our heroes and of the Colombian people. I swear I will finish them off!"
Source: Google News CO — Crime