U. San Felipe

Gisella Abarca/Fernando Ávila

Confusing incidents have shaken the tranquility of Rancagua in recent days. Shootings and stabbings in the city center have caused concern among passersby. The latest events took place in the Plaza de Los Héroes and its surroundings, near important government buildings such as the Regional Government, the Presidential Delegation and the municipality of Rancagua.

And during the afternoon of this Wednesday, multiple shots alarmed those passing by the Plaza de los Héroes, which triggered a massive police deployment in the area. According to witnesses, a fight between several young people led to the appearance of a firearm, where fortunately there were no victims injured by the gunshots.

The result was that five individuals were taken to the first Rancagua Police Station for an identity check, and one of them was arrested for carrying a knife, but they could not be credited for their participation in the shooting. While in the square, remains of the shot ammunition were found that are being analyzed by Carabineros.

Simultaneously, while Rancagua police were still carrying out expert reports related to the shooting, on a nearby street, specifically in German Riesco, in front of the Presidential Delegation building, a confrontation occurred that culminated with an 18-year-old student stabbed in one of his arms. . The victim was taken to the Regional Hospital to receive medical attention.

This is in addition to what happened last Friday on the corner of Campos and Cuevas streets, in the heart of the regional capital, where a 21-year-old young man was allegedly the victim of an assault, receiving a bullet in one of his legs. Despite this, it is not ruled out that the reason for the incident was a previous argument between people who were in the sector. Carabineros is working to determine the dynamics of the events that, like the previous ones, caused great expectation among those passing through the center of the regional capital.

“CARABINEROS ACT QUICKLY”

In relation to the events that occurred this Wednesday in the Plaza de Los Héroes, the Prefect of Cachapoal, Colonel Nibaldo Sánchez, explained that “two people were arrested for robbery and a weapon was recovered in the central sector of the city.”

He stressed that “what happened in the Plaza de los Héroes was a specific situation and Carabineros acted quickly, taking five individuals to the 1st Rancagua Police Station for an identity check; and, one of them was detained and went to detention control today (Thursday), by instruction of the Prosecutor’s Office.”

The Colonel emphasized that “Specialized police officers are working, together with the Prosecutor’s Office, to clarify the facts. He is under investigation”; and, he clarified that at the same time another procedure was recorded in the Plaza de Los Héroes, “in which two young people had an altercation, apparently for romantic reasons, resulting in one of them with minor injuries.”

Prefect Cachapoal remarked that “Carabineros is always working to increase the sense of security for residents, reinforcing their services and focusing them where necessary.”

Along these lines, the preventive work that Carabineros has carried out since last year and so far this year; That is, from January to the first half of March, 50 people have been allowed to be arrested for robbery, 62 for theft, and 8 for micro-drug trafficking. In sum, in the historic center of the regional capital, 120 people have been arrested; and 120 infractions have been filed against street commerce; In addition, constant preventive identity and vehicle checks are carried out to detect the occurrence of any crime.

This is why the Prefect of Carabineros highlighted the preventive work of the institution and its commitment to the safety of the community, ensuring that the police presence in the city will continue to be reinforced to provide peace of mind to citizens, “this is a service that is It has been developing since last year to date and that we will continue to carry out, because it responds to the guidelines of the O’Higgins Zone Chief, General Max Jiménez Fleming, and the coordination with the regional authorities, in relation to providing greater security to the residents of the sector. and to passers-by.”

It is worth mentioning that this Wednesday, the O’Higgins Zone Chief, General Max Jiménez, met with the regional authorities, to continue working together on the security strategies that have been implemented both in Rancagua and in the rest of the Region of O’Higgins for the prevention of crimes, especially those with a high social connotation; and, at the same time, reinforce and focus preventive actions in those sectors that are necessary.