Four killed in two police shootouts in Santiago, Dominican Republic, including one officer and three wanted suspects

Two shootouts on Thursday night (November 12) in Santiago, the Dominican Republic's second-largest city, left four people dead. According to Dominican media citing police, the shootings took place on the Circunvalación Norte ring road in the Gurabo sector, and the dead include one police officer and three suspected criminals.

Victims identified

Police identified the four dead as: Sergeant Juan Isaac Espinal Jiménez, 35, of the Central Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DICRIM), with 13 years of service, eight of them in criminal investigation; Eduardo Paúl Pérez Mercado, alias “Macá,” 39; Edward de Jesús Pérez Silverio, alias “Carlos” or “Coco,” 36; and Andrelina Santos Sosa, alias “La Patrona,” 29. Pérez Mercado and Santos Sosa died at the scene of the first shootout; Pérez Silverio was wounded in a second shootout a few kilometres away and died later at the Tamboril municipal hospital; Espinal Jiménez died while receiving medical care.

Police say a criminal structure was dismantled

Police spokesman Colonel Diego Pesqueira said officers were tracking a silver Changan SUV owned by Santos Sosa when its three occupants opened fire on DICRIM agents. Police said the three civilians had extensive criminal records, multiple arrest warrants and links to contract killings, homicides, drug trafficking and armed robbery; Pérez Mercado and Pérez Silverio were listed among Santiago province's ten most-wanted fugitives. Police allege Santos Sosa acted as a logistics collaborator and lookout for the group. The bodies were sent to the National Institute of Forensic Sciences, and the Public Ministry is investigating the circumstances with police.

Sources: Diario Libre, El Día, AlMomento (via El Seis); Dominican National Police (via EFE). The shootings took place on the night of November 12 and the identities were confirmed on November 13; this site had not reported the incident, and this article is a catch-up report.