5-year-old killed in gang battle crossfire

A FIVE-YEAR-OLD  girl died Thursday June 9  after being  shot  in the head when caught in the crossfire between  two vehicles during   what was believed an attempted gangland revenge killing.

The incident took place in the afternoon in the city of David, in Chiriqui province, near the Balbuena gas-station on the Trans-America highway.

Also shot and wounded was a relative of the child, who was on board one of the vehicles involved in the exchange of gunfire. He was presumed to be the target and  was identified as Alberto Martinez Austin, who  was transferred to the  Rafael Hernandez Social Security  Hospital in David  where he was hospitalized.

Police sources said Martinez had just got out of jail, where he had been serving time for racketeering. The gangs which were involved have been identified as The Frog, and Kill The Frog, which operate in the slums of David.

The girl was taken to a private clinic in the area, where doctors certified her death.

Police are engaged in a widespread search for the killer. On Friday, June 10,   President Juan Carlos Varela visited the girl’s mother.

At a press conference in David  he said that, an extra 150 police would be drafted in from Panama to assist the operation.