Police chief Oscar Naranjo announced a reward of COP200 million ($106,000) for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for the Antioquia nightclub massacre which killed eight people in the early hours of Friday morning.
Earlier on Friday Naranjo said that authorities believe the killing, which took place in the municipality of Envigado, in the Antioquia department, was the result of a turf war between local narco kingpins “Valenciano” and “Sebastian.”
Police said that some of the weapons used in the attack were the same make as arms popular with drug trafficking organizations in Mexico, indicating that the weapons may have been imported to Colombia.
Colombian authorities plan to reinforce security in the area around Medellin, Colombia’s second city, which borders on Envigado. Naranjo arrived in the area with a team of 20 criminal investigation experts, who are going to work with the Prosecutor General’s Office and judges of guarantee in a special inter-agency group dedicated to combating the drug trade in the region.
The police chief also confirmed the arrival of 400 extra police officers and 200 members of the elite urban control force FUCUR to assist with the case.
None of the victims has a history of any gang involvement, according to Naranjo, but police are searching for a man who fled the scene and could have been the gunmen’s target.
The incident occurred when several hitmen reportedly entered the Envigado club and began to shoot indiscriminately. During the ensuing chaos they escaped on high-powered motorbikes, while survivors were attending to the injured, according to El Tiempo.
Seven people were killed in the shooting and one person later died in hospital from their injuries. Four of the remaining twelve victims are in a critical condition. One of the deceased victims has been identified as Jackson Gil, a dual U.S.-Colombian citizen, according to the preliminary police report.
Two police agents are among the injured. They were patrolling the area when the hitmen entered the club and were wounded when they pursued the perpetrators.
Antioquia government secretary Julian Andres Rendon said machine gun and other high powered gun shells were found at the scene, weapons which are widely used by drug trafficking organizations.
Police said that some of the weapons used in the attack were the same make as arms popular with drug trafficking organizations in Mexico, indicating that the weapons may have been imported to Colombia.
In April the U.S. offered a $5 million reward for information leading to the capture of Valenciano, who has been linked to moving over $25 million in drug money from the United States to Mexico. He was indicted in the Eastern District of New York in 2008.