The police commander of a mining town in the north of Colombia was killed on Wednesday morning, according to authorities.
According to a police report, “personnel from the Segovia police, the National Army and Antioquia police went to the location to verify a tip-off from a captured witness, and were met with shots, one of which hit and killed” the town’s police commander.
The operation was part of an investigation into events surrounding shootings that took place during the weekend in the town of Segovia.
One took place at 2.30AM outside a nightclub, injuring 8, and another a few blocks away resulted in one injury.
According to Caracol radio, authorities believe the perpetrators to be members of paramilitary group AGC.
ELN guerrillas and organized crime groups from Medellin are also active in the gold-rich municipality.
The investigation into these incidents produced the aforementioned tip-off as to the location of the perpetrators. It was the raid on their house that led to the death of the police captain.
According to Antioquia’s chief prosecutor Angela Bedoya, two men were arrested, and a pistol and a machine gun were confiscated in the operation.
Segovia’s security secretary, Jovan Esteban Pulgarin, led the tributes to the fallen officer, stating “we have lost a great policeman.”
Segovia Mayor Edison Esteban Mosquera also mourned his passing, extending his personal condolences to the family.
The mayor also suspended all operations of the local council for the day and announced a vigil in honor of the police captain, encouraging anyone available to attend.
Because of its gold reserves, Segovia has long been a major attraction to illegal armed groups and organized crime organizations.
The largely informal gold trade has spurred violence in the town and the surrounding region for years.