Concern over the increase in violence in Uruguay: seven murders over the weekend

A man and a woman were shot in the Marconi neighborhood (Montevideo) around 9:00 p.m. on Sunday. These are two people aged 25 and 29 who died on the spot, according to doctors.

The 911 Emergency Service received a call alerting about a man with a gunshot wound on General Enrique Castro and Burgueño streets (Marconi neighborhood). Upon arriving at the scene, officers found that a 25-year-old man who was leaving a store was dead.

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Meanwhile, in the same event, a 29-year-old woman who was going to work was injured. Despite having been transferred to a polyclinic, her death was confirmed 15 minutes after the police were alerted. Neighbors said they heard multiple shots.

In this context, different people in the area mobilized to demand more security. The sister of the deceased woman was one of them: “She went to look for my other sister and, suddenly, I saw her in a pool of blood. The shooting was massive. I don’t know what they shot her with, but it was massive,” she told Telenoche.

“My sister had four children. She was going to work, she was going to break her back. Most of the people who live here are working people,” she added.

Among the different claims, the need to stop innocent deaths was highlighted. ”Here the life of anyone is at stake. The children play ball every day. We all go out to work,” added a neighbor.

Others present emphasized the lack of action and responses by the authorities. “Mr. President and Mr. Minister: we are tired of promises,” read a poster. Meanwhile, it was asked not to stigmatize the neighborhood or the adolescents.

SEVEN HOMICIDES OVER THE WEEKEND

With this double homicide, there are seven people killed in 30 hours.

The second homicide occurred on Friday night, when a 20-year-old man was shot in Cerro Norte (Montevideo). Approximately 50 gunshot wounds were found on the victim’s body.

In the department of Salto (500 kilometers from Montevideo), a man who had just been released from prison was shot dead in the chest. The author turned himself in moments later.

Meanwhile, another case occurred at noon on Saturday: a 21-year-old man died of two shots to the chest.

Just after midnight on Sunday, a man shot and killed his brother after accusing him of exercising domestic violence against his partner. The homicide occurred in the department of Florida, 100 kilometers from Montevideo.

The last crime was also at dawn on Sunday, but in Toledo (Canelones, 23 kilometers from Montevideo). According to police information, a 15-year-old killed another 17-year-old.

The version of the facts that prima indicates that, after having an argument at a party, both crossed paths in the street and fought until the 15-year-old stabbed the other. The murdered man had a firearm hidden in his clothes, therefore another hypothesis indicates that the fight would have occurred after the now murdered man tried to assault the other.

The person involved appeared hours later at the Toledo branch.

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