Five dead and seven injured in shooting at party in Chile

Five people were killed and seven wounded, apparently all foreigners, in a shooting at a party on the outskirts of Santiago on Tuesday, Chilean authorities reported.

Four men and one woman died on the spot, while seven people were injured, according to the official report.

The victims were attending a party in the community of Lampa, in a rural area of ​​the Chilean capital. Most of the attendees were foreigners, according to Carabineros, which did not specify their nationality.

“What we do know is that a group of people were at a party and, for reasons that are unknown, this shooting began,” added prosecutor Ernesto González.

Although investigations are ongoing, Chilean President Gabriel Boric has linked the incident to organized crime.

“This is a very serious and deeply disturbing event. I want to be very clear that we, the State of Chile, will not allow organized crime to win the battle,” the president said in a statement to the press.

Chile experienced an unusual wave of murders over the weekend. Ten people, including four minors, were killed in various parts of the country.

Although it remains one of the least dangerous countries in Latin America, insecurity is the main concern for Chileans, according to opinion polls.

In recent years, violent crime has increased, led by gangs such as the Tren de Aragua, of Venezuelan origin, whose actions – mainly murders and extortions – have spread to several countries in the region.

Between 2014 and 2023, homicides increased by 60% in Chile, sexual assaults by 46% and robberies with violence by 11%, according to figures from the Undersecretariat for Crime Prevention.