In the evening of January 30, a disturbing incident unfolded in the Ituzaingó neighborhood of Montevideo, where one man shot another in front of a residence. News Agency has obtained a video of the attack, which sheds light on the alarming situation. The perpetrator was apprehended on February 18 and subsequently convicted of discharging a firearm and internal arms trafficking. This development has brought some measure of relief to the community, but the story doesn’t end there.
The victim of the shooting was a man whose family had already been through a traumatic experience earlier that month. On January 15, his partner and 5-year-old son were among five people wounded in a shooting at their home on Alberto Susvila Guarch and Enrique Aguiar streets. The family believes the attacks are linked to a individual with a history of delinquency in the neighborhood, who was previously convicted of the January 15 shooting but received a lenient sentence of house arrest with an ankle monitor due to the exchange of gunfire, which also left him injured.
Now, the affected family is speaking out about their concerns, alleging that the aggressor continues to harass them from his home. Lorena Barreto, a member of the family, shared with News Agency that she received a menacing message on Facebook from the perpetrator just last Tuesday. The message allegedly stated that if the family doesn’t drop the charges, he will order the killing of the entire family. Barreto expressed her family’s plight, saying, “We’re going through a complicated situation, with everyone’s life at risk. This man has been obsessed with us since 2022.” She plans to file a police report this Thursday.
The family attributes the January 30 attack to the same individual. The case has been under investigation by the Victim’s Unit of the Prosecutor’s Office for several months. According to Barreto, the institution offered to relocate her sister, who was shot, and her 5-year-old son to a safe house, given their proximity to the aggressor’s residence. However, the offer was declined, as the family didn’t have alternative housing arrangements.
Sources within the Prosecutor’s Office informed News Agency that they had offered to provide protection for the children through the INAU (National Institute for Children and Adolescents) and that a judge had ordered their admission to a Zorzal facility, but the family rejected the proposal due to a lack of alternative housing options. As the situation continues to unfold, it’s clear that the family’s safety and well-being remain a pressing concern, and it’s essential for the authorities to provide adequate support and protection to ensure their security.
Key Developments
- A man was shot in the Ituzaingó neighborhood of Montevideo on January 30.
- The perpetrator was arrested and convicted of discharging a firearm and internal arms trafficking.
- The victim’s family had previously been targeted in a shooting on January 15, which left five people wounded, including a 5-year-old boy.
- The family believes the attacks are linked to a individual with a history of delinquency in the neighborhood.
- The aggressor is alleged to be harassing the family from his home, despite being under house arrest.
The complexities of this case highlight the need for a concerted effort from law enforcement and social services to protect vulnerable families and prevent further violence.
