Shooting at Panama university leaves one dead, another injured

8/6/2024 13:14

        Two shooters opened fire on Friday at a rural branch of the University of Panama, killing a young man and wounding another, police and university officials said.
        
        The unknown gunmen arrived at the university's Veraguas regional college, about 155 miles (250 km) west of the capital, where a group of first-year agricultural science students had gathered to work on a project on the grounds, said college director Pedro Samaniego.
        
        "A vehicle stopped and two people got out, firing shots at a group of people who were on campus," said Veraguas police chief Hector Delgado in a video message.
        
        Alvaro Leones was mortally wounded and another student, Anel Terreros, was taken to a hospital, Samaniego said.
        
        An investigation has been launched and no arrests have been made, a police source said on condition of anonymity.
        
        Shootings at Panama's schools or universities are very rare.
        
        In a statement suspending administrative work and classes, the university condemned the violence and expressed condolences to Leones' friends and families.