Gun battle kills 7 at Puerto Rico bar
|
TOOLBOX
   Resize
COMMENT
 Discussion Policy
 CLOSE
Comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.
Who's Blogging  |
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO -- Gunmen opened fire on a crowd celebrating the reopening of a newly renovated neighborhood bar and grocery, killing at least seven and injuring 20, police said Sunday.
Dozens of people had crammed into the tiny La Tombola bar in Toa Baja, a municipality just west of San Juan, and were waiting for a band to resume playing when the attack occurred, police Col. Jose Morales said. Among those seriously wounded were a 9-year-old girl and a pregnant woman who lost her 8-month-old fetus, he said.
The justice department plans to file a murder charge for the death of the fetus, said prosecutor Wanda Vazquez, who is investigating the case.
She said the scope of the incident makes investigators think the attack may have involved a feud between drug traffickers.
At least two men began shooting as they entered, and several people inside returned fire, leaving the bar's renovated interior riddled with holes from five types of bullets, including those from an AK-47 assault rifle, Morales said. The shooting moved outside before the gunmen fled in a car.
Three people were found dead inside and another three outside, while a seventh died at a hospital, Vazquez said.
-- Associated Press
