Killing of two young lawyers was a mistake – informant

The gunning down of two young lawyers in Panama last month was a mistake as two rival gangs were involved in a shoot out prosecutors say.

Two gangs in San Miguelito  were involved in a territorial dispute that claimed the lives of lawyers  and Christopher Roman Birmingham and  Efrain Rodriguez, on  August 15 at Plaza Cordoba in the district of Vista Hermosa, say prosecution sources.
The leader of one of the gangs was the target that night, but his companions recognized  the assassins sent by his rivals.
According to an informant, there was a shootout between gang members, and the two lawyers wer caught  in the crossfire.The real target of the attack managed to escape. 
The information came from  suspects under  arrest and against whom the prosecution has already filed murder charges 
Five people wer arrested after the killing. Three of them were found in the northern corridor about to board a taxi, hours after the shooting.
Two others, identified by witnesses were arrested on the weekend.
Roman Birmingham, was the son of the San Miguelito  second circuit prosecutor, Anny Birmingham.

The lawyers had arrived in the parking lot of the Plaza Cordobathe early in the morning. As they stepped out of a white Land Cruiser they were hit by bursts of gunfire.

Román was shot in the head, and died instantly immediately, and  Rodriguez was  hit more than 15 times in different parts of the body.

More than 160 cartridge cases were found at the crime scene.