Marine corporal shoots up east Colombia town ‘because Santos won election’

A drunk marine killed an elderly woman and injured a teenager over frustration of the elections victory on Sunday of President Juan Manuel Santos, according to Colombia’s National Navy and local media.

The town in Barranco Minas, Guainia was terrorized following the electoral victory of incumbent Juan Manuel Santos in Colombia’s presidential elections, according to Semana magazine.

In spite of an election day alcohol ban, “Corporal Vergara was drunk and upset because Santos had won. In the middle of a discussion with another marine, the rain of bullets began and didn’t stop for a long time,” recounted a local resident, according to Semana.

Colombia’s Navy wrote a Monday press release in which they state “there was a dispute between Corporal Cristiam Vergara Espinosa and Corporal Hector Pinzon Neira, from the 50th Marine Infantry Battalion.” The National Navy states they are “deeply sorry that during the events in question, a resident was injured and killed, 70 year old Maria Justina Gonzales.”

Vergara apparently walked  back and forth from the ends of a town that does not exceed 11 blocks. Residents ran to their houses and closed their wooden doors to try and not get shot. Shots continued from 7:30PM to 10PM according to residents talking to Semana.

The 18-year-old indigenous teenager was shot in the abdomen and could only go to a basic local clinic at the time. The following day, the Piapoco indigenous boy was transported to a hospital for surgery. The attending local medic said “his condition was so complicated that he obviously needed surgery.”

Gonzales was not so lucky and died before she could reach a medical center. Gonzales was shot by Corporal Vergara in her right leg. Maria could not leave her house because the bullets wouldn’t stop and she eventually bled to death.

“The [bullet’s] impact hit the area with all the arteries and veins of the right leg, which resulted in a massive hemorrhage,” stated a doctor, according to Semana.

Gonzales was one of the original residents that founded the small town back in the 1980s.

According to Semana, Vergara voluntarily handed himself over on Monday morning and is now in the custody of Colombia’s judicial police.

The navy announced in their press release that they have begun a disciplinary and criminal investigation and removed both Vergara and Pinzon from active service.

This incident was a nightmare for a small town during what has widely been praised as Colombia’s safest electionsin recent history.

MORE: Colombia’s election most quiet and safe in recent history: govt

Barranco Minas voted overwhelmingly in support of incumbent President Santos, according to the National Registry.

Sunday’s second presidential election round resulted in an victory for centrist incumbent President Juan Manuel Santos over extreme-right candidate Oscar Ivan Zuluaga.

MORE: Juan Manuel Santos Reelected In Colombia’s Presidential Elections

Sources

• El marino que aterrorizó a Barrancominas (Semana)
• Comunicado de Prensa (Armada Nacional)
• Elección de Presidente y Vicepresidente 2ª Vuelta – GUAINIA (Registraduria)