An elderly American was arrested after a gunman was caught on camera walking toward environmental protesters blocking a Panamanian highway on Tuesday and blowing up two of them.
Disturbing footage showed a man with gray hair and glasses casually approaching the blockade on the Pan-American Highway and waving his finger as he argued with protesters – before pulling out a gun and opening fire.
Other footage showed people standing around bodies on the street in the Chame sector west of Panama City and the gunman being handcuffed and led to a patrol car.
Police later shared a photo of the suspect tied to a pipe, identified as Kenneth Darlington, 77, a lawyer and professor who holds dual U.S.-Panama citizenship, Newsroom Panama and Agence France-Presse reported .
One of the protesters who was shot died at the scene, while the second was pronounced dead at a local hospital, AFP said.
The violence came in the third week of protests against a major mining deal that will allow Canada-based First Quantum Minerals to operate the region’s largest copper mine for at least 20 more years.
The National Police has received instructions to take over the publication of the Asesino of Chame, Kennet Darlintong.
Can you imagine that this subject was lost?
What are the people I feel sorry for? pic.twitter.com/F8kmtvtssH— Davis Alvarez 🇵🇦 (@davisclick) November 7, 2023
The roadblocks have caused businesses up to $80 million in daily losses and closed schools nationwide for more than a week.
Panama’s President Laurentino Cortizo expressed his condolences Addressing the families of the dead protesters, he said such a crime had “no place” in his country’s supportive society.
The fatal shooting came after Panamanian media reported that a protester was run over and killed by a foreigner as he tried to drive past a roadblock last week.
The 19,000-mile Pan-American Highway is the world’s greatest route, running from Alaska to Argentina with a break at Darién Gap.
With post wires