The government described this Friday as “extremely serious” the fact that a 19-year-old student was shot during the march called by the Confederation of Students of Chile (Confech), in which they demanded to increase the amount of the Food Scholarship for the Higher Education (BAES). According to preliminary information, the shot was fired by a Carabineros official.
Protesters captured the incident – which occurred on Diagonal Paraguay Street – in a video, and it was later broadcast on social networks. In the record, a Carabineros official is observed pointing his gun at a group of march participants. At the time of firing the bullet, it is not clear whether he fired it into the air or directly at people.
You may also like:
Along with describing the fact as “serious”, the Undersecretary of the Interior, Manuel Monsalveindicated that “this is not an official who is from the Special Forces, he is a transit official and we have to clarify the circumstances in which he uses his firearm.”
“Fortunately, the injured young man is not life-threatening, he has a subcutaneous gunshot wound to the chest,” added the authority.
Video via Twitter: @Mister_Wolf_0
“High Gravity”
Meanwhile, the government spokesperson, Camila Vallejo, said at a press point in Cerro Castillo that the incident is “extremely serious,” adding the Executive’s commitment to the reform of the Carabineros.
“It is very important that the work of safeguarding public order, always, always be accompanied by the protection of people’s human rights. And this implies both respect for the protocols, as well as the great challenge that lies ahead as a Government and to which we have committed ourselves, of the reform of the Carabineros”, he said.
In addition, he indicated that the Prosecutor’s Office will initiate an investigation and that Carabineros will carry out an internal summary.
He also indicated that the Minister of Education, Marco Avilaand the Minister of Health, Begona Yarzathey will move to the health facility where the young person is.
In turn, he specified that three carabineros are injured by attacks in the demonstration.
Police version
The head of the traffic zone, highways and road safety, general Marcela Gonzalez, indicated in a video that three carabineros from the Transit Prefecture were attacked by a group of strangers on Diagonal Paraguay street with O’Higgins. One and one official were injured, he said.
“The role that these officials fulfilled was to protect the safe movement of the march. One of the policemen used his service weapon to defend himself, an action whose proportionality will be investigated and whose details will be made available in the corresponding instances,” González said. .
“As an institution, an administrative summary has been instructed to clarify these facts,” he added.
Video via Twitter: @Carabdechile
