On October 2nd, four innocent people were killed in a shoot-out between “Ojos Bellos” and “Gato Cole” gangs, the strongest criminal groups in Limón. The fight killed an 11-year-old boy, a 15-year-old teenager and two mothers who were spending some time at the beach with their children.
According to Wálter Espinoza, director of the Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ), the war between the gangs started when, in September 2016, a person linked to Dinnier “Ojos Bellos” Estrada Jiménez’s gang was killed. As a result, he ordered to kill two gunmen from Gato Cole gang and Keylor Jacok Cole Kelly, leader of the gang.
The targets were parked on one of the shores of the beach on October 2nd. There was a patrol of the Public Force, whose officer took a photograph of the events. However, the result of the execution was not the one expected: the criminals managed to kill one of the targets (Francisco Miralles, alias “Papito”), they wounded another, but they also killed the innocent people who were on the beach and wounded several more.
In 10 raids carried out on March 9th, 7 people were arrested and enough evidence was seized to link them to the murders, such as weapons, police uniforms, among other things.
The subjects who shot used hoods and balaclavas.