Fatal Shootout Erupts at Military Base

By R. Renee Yaworsky
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

CARACAS, Venezuela—Two officers were shot and killed on a Venezuelan military base after a soldier opened fire with an assault rifle.  Six other soldiers were injured in the following shootout .

The gunfire erupted early Saturday on the Fort Tiuna military base, located in the capital city of Caracas.  The base is the largest in the country and houses the headquarters of the Defense Ministry.  The gunman fled from the base after firing a Russian AK-103 assault rifle.

The alleged shooter has been identified as Jeffersson Jose Trujillo Vasquez.  The attorney general’s office reports that the soldier began shooting after arguing with one of his superiors during the changing of the guard.  That officer, Captain Miguel Angel Rosales, who was 33 years old, was shot in the head and died.

After killing Rosales, Vasquez allegedly entered an arms depot and shot Lt. Alfredo Ruiz.  Ruiz, who was 25, was fatally injured by the attack.

The gunfight that followed between Vasquez and others at the base resulted in six wounded soldiers: three women and three men of various ranks.

Although the suspect’s abandoned car has been found in a slum, police and troops have yet to capture him.

Military officials have yet to publicly react to the incident.

Fort Tiuna was recently the scene of a separate shooting.  Last week, a Hong Kong athlete at the women’s baseball World Cup was struck and wounded by an apparent stray bullet.  Her team pulled out of the Cup.  Though it is still unclear whether that bullet originated from the military base, the tournament was moved from Fort Tiuna to Maracay, west of Caracas.

Although Caracas has a reputation for being one of the most dangerous cities in Latin America, Fort Tiuna has been considered relatively safe.  This reputation has been reinforced by the fact that President Hugo Chavez often visits the officers’ mess at night.  The vice-president owns a residence on the military compound, and foreign delegations are frequently hosted there.

For more information, please see:

AP-2 shot dead at Venezuela military base; 6 wounded-21 August 2010

AFP-Soldier kills two officers, wounds six at Venezuelan base-21 August 2010

BBC-Venezuelan soldier kills two officers ‘after dispute’-21 August 2010

Author: Impunity Watch Archive