Violent deaths in Dominican Republic exceed 1,000 cases so far this year

From January 1 to November 8, 2024, the Dominican Republic recorded at least 1,140 violent deaths in different parts of the country.

Of this total, 985 correspond to homicides in fights and other circumstances, 44 women were killed by their partners or ex-partners, and 91 people died at the hands of National Police officers in alleged exchanges of gunfire. There were also at least 11 suicides, and nine men were killed by their partners.

In the few days of November, nine in total, there have been 13 cases.

Homicides

One of the recent cases that has caused great unease among the population is that of Wady Infante Saviñón, 47 years old, who was shot twice while trying to thwart an assault on his son in the Arroyo Hondo II sector of the National District.

Cristofer Joel Infante, son of the victim, told Diario Libre that his father, upon witnessing the assault, tried to intervene to stop one of the attackers but was hit by two shots.

“The day before we had agreed on the sale of a white 2016 Honda Accord vehicle, and we met with the buyer in the plaza where I have my cell phone business. In the middle of the negotiation, two men arrived on a motorcycle, pointed a gun at me and stripped me of all the clothes I was wearing,” narrated Cristofer Joel.

Cristopher Díaz was murdered in front of the Fidel Ferrer High School on Ramón Cáceres Street, in the Ensanche La Fe, Distrito Nacional.

The incident was captured on video, where it can be seen how the assailant gets off a motorcycle and opens fire on several people, killing the victim. After committing the crime, the attacker fled in the vehicle, while another person shot in his direction without being able to reach him.

Another violent incident took place in Hato Mayor province, where a man was shot dead at kilometer 3½. The victim was identified as Máximo Ávila Santana.

Likewise, a young man lost his life after being stabbed twice in an alcoholic beverage center located in the municipality of Vallejuelo, in San Juan province.

According to witnesses, the incident occurred after the victim accidentally stepped on another person’s foot, which triggered a confrontation that ended tragically in the establishment. So far, the identity of both the victim and the aggressor is unknown.

Also, a 15-year-old adolescent was shot dead in the Vista al Valle sector in San Francisco de Macoris, Duarte province.

The victim, Darlin Ramirez, was allegedly attacked by two young men, identified only as Jansel and Elison, who fled the scene after committing the crime.

A 31-year-old woman also died in the Villa Velasquez sector of San Pedro de Macoris when Alvin Amaurys Gomez Roa, 27, opened fire after a multiple traffic accident. Yuliza Castillo Charles, a resident of La Romana, was fatally shot.

Randy Mercedes Diaz, a young resident of the community of Boca de Mao in Valverde province, lost his life early last Sunday morning after being hit by several shots while trying to mediate a fight during a “teteo.”

Added to the list is Robert Antonio Guerrero García, 37, shot dead on Saturday in the San Pedro sector, Higüey, after an argument over a vehicle.

Sergeant Euclides Ureña Mejía was shot dead on Saturday, November 2, in a room of the Hotel Mercedes in La Gina, Miches, El Seibo province, when three individuals burst in and opened fire, reported the National Police.

According to the National Police Statistical Analysis of Crime, October closed with 62 homicides, September with 75, August with 129, July with 92, June with 92, June with 108, May with 111, April with 90, March with 97, February with 97 and January with 124.

Interior and police reported that October was the month with the least number of homicidesThe Ministry of Interior and Police reported that last October was the month that registered the least number of homicides since the beginning of the follow-up meetings to the Citizen Security Plan, which takes place every week at the National Police Palace. The Minister of Interior and Police (MIP), Faride Raful, reported on Tuesday that in the last 30 days, the homicide rate stood at 7.5 per 100,000 inhabitants, representing the lowest figure in the previous two years of work.

Feminicides

One of the most tragic cases of femicides occurred last Wednesday night, when Yisset Carmona, 35, was beaten to death by her partner, in collaboration with another man, in the community of Los Arroyones, in the municipality of Villa Altagracia, San Cristobal province.

Yisset’s partner was identified as Nazario Mercedes, known as Bolivar, while Obispo Carmona Moreta was the other implicated party.

In addition to the death of Yisset, Mercedes is accused of having killed Diana Carolina Lorenzo, 18, in an incident registered in 2008. Although he was linked to the crime at the time, it is not known why he was not behind bars.

Similarly, a young man murdered his ex-partner and her mother last Monday, November 3, after violently breaking into their residence, located in the municipal district of Quita Sueño, in the municipality of Cotuí, province Sánchez Ramírez.

The victims were identified as Julissa German and Juana Salazar.

Diana Aimé Castillo Mora, 21, was murdered by her partner inside a hotel on San Vicente de Paúl Avenue in Santo Domingo East.

In October, the victims were Orquídea Frontain Araújo (suicide), Wilma Daniel Tejeda (suicide), María de los Santos Delgadillo, Daniela Elías Sandoval, and Yamilka Hernández. In September, María del Carmen Matías Pérez died.

In August, the deaths of Luisa Betances Fabián and Milagros Cristina Veras occurred.

In July: Fanny Batista, Yosberlin Rachel Ramírez Santana and Arleny Sánchez López (suicide). In June: Sixta Villar de Jesús, Miledis Carrasco, Deysi Margarita Encarnación (suicide occurred), Brea, Isabel Pimentel (suicide occurred), Crisleidy Rosario, Sujeiri Castillo, Liann Guerrero Bobadilla (suicide occurred), Raisa Guzmán, Karen Dalisbet Arias Arias (suicide occurred) and Yaniris de la Cruz Olivares.

In May Nashli Sánchez and Eduarda Díaz were murdered. In April, Marlenis Alexandra Burgos Amparo and Lourdes Mata were killed. In March, Vialsy Ventura (a suicide occurred), Rosanna del Carmen Acosta, Yissely Sánchez Pérez, and Yudelka Payano Burgos. In February, Nazaret Castillo García, Alexandra Trinidad Liriano and Susana Santana Fabián.

Those in January were: Olvery Domedy Vanderhorst Delgado, Fatima Dilenia Lopez, Rosa Karina Abreu, Arisleidy Pichardo, Rosmery Martinez (a suicide occurred), Casandra Carmelina Castillo Santiago (a suicide occurred), Tania Agustina Gomez (a suicide occurred) and Linda.

Amid these cases of femicides, 11 suicides occurred.

Exchanges of gunfire

On November 1, National Police officers killed a 29-year-old man in the El Tanque sector of the municipality of Pedro Brand, Santo Domingo province.

The deceased was identified as Bienvenido Rodriguez, nicknamed Raulin, who was wanted by the police authorities after allegedly shooting Mr. Jose Joaquin de la Cruz (Moreno Cupa) on September 1.

In October, there were nine deaths at the hands of the National Police in different operations. Estarlin Javier Gutierrez Martinez, alias “Kury or Pury,” was killed in Rio San Juan after confronting agents during an operation in which drugs and communication equipment were seized. Jean Carlos Gutiérrez Santos and Jhon Wilson Encarnación Cruz were also killed in Santo Domingo Oeste, being wanted for various crimes.

Luis Antonio Martínez Peña was killed in Villa Liberación, Santo Domingo Este; his family maintains that he was innocent, and the police confirmed that he had no criminal record. In Consuelo, San Pedro de Macoris, “el Capo” or “42” was killed while being pursued for severe crimes.

Darling Isaac Rosario and Óscar Morbán Joaquín died in Los Alcarrizos after an assault, located by GPS. In Bávaro, Jems Joacin was killed after a confrontation with the police caused by confusion with Immigration agents. Finally, prisoner Maikol Deiby Ramirez, alias “Yembron,” was killed in Azua after holding hostages in an escape attempt.

Month after month, Diario Libre carries out an exhaustive follow-up of deaths at the hands of law enforcement officers in the country. The unique “Lethal Patrol” compiles all these cases, including those registered between January and September.