Relatives demand justice after death of 19-year-old at hands of police officer
Video footage captured the moment a uniformed officer shot Darlin Mercado, who died at the scene. Corporal José Moreta is already facing judicial proceedings.
Relatives demand justice after death of 19-year-old at hands of police officer
Video footage shows the exact moment when a member of the National Police shot Darlin Mercado, a 19-year-old boy, causing his death. The incident has sparked protests in his neighbourhood, where residents are calling for the person responsible to be punished. The officer in question is Corporal José Moreta, who has already been brought before the courts.
According to accounts from people close to the victim, the deceased had lent his motorcycle to an acquaintance. That individual was stopped by the officer for not carrying the proper documentation. The images show how the young man admits the infraction, after which the uniformed officer shoots him without any apparent provocation.
Mercado made his living as a lighting technician, a profession he shared with his father. Those who knew him remember him as someone who was just beginning to build his future. When news of his death spread, dozens of people marched alongside his relatives to bid him farewell.
The victim's father suffered a serious health crisis when he learned the news. At the funeral procession, those in attendance shouted that the law should be upheld severely.
Darlin's relatives hope that what happened will not go unpunished and that the institutions will make firm decisions to prevent other officers from taking lives without justified cause.
Information from Univision
Source: Google News DO — Crime