Four dead in police confrontation in Santo Domingo Este under investigation
Four suspected criminals died in a shootout with police officers in Brisas del Este. Organisations are calling for an independent investigation into the circumstances of the incident.
Independent investigation demanded following death of four men in police operation in Santo Domingo Este
According to elnacional.com.do, four men died last weekend during an alleged exchange of gunfire with a police patrol in the Brisas del Este sector of Santo Domingo Este.
The National Police identified the deceased as Eliam Roque Ruiz, Starling Morillo, Víctor Ramírez and Elin López, and maintained that the four were members of a criminal structure linked to robberies of small shops. According to the official account, the men were travelling on two motorcycles when they attacked the officers upon being discovered. The institution also stated that outstanding arrest warrants existed against all four.
However, critical voices are demanding that the circumstances of the incident be verified independently. The call for investigation is based both on the obligation of a rule of law state and on the low credibility the Police face in public opinion, according to elnacional.com.do.
Added to the questions about institutional image are inconsistencies detected in the official version, which reinforce arguments in favour of a formal review of the case. For years there has been suspicion of officers who allegedly executed actual criminals to prevent them from linking them to criminal activities.
The Police have not publicly detailed what these inconsistencies are and have not announced the opening of an internal investigation so far.
Source: Google News DO — Santo Domingo