A 77-year-old American lawyer was detained after fatally shooting two environmental campaigners in Panama.
The death of two environmental protestors who were obstructing a highway was seen on camera, leading to the arrest of a 77-year-old American lawyer in Panama. According to reports, the barriers have closed schools across the country for more than a week and cost businesses up to $80 million every day in damages.
A dramatic scene was captured on camera when the man with gray hair, who appeared displeased with the Pan-American Highway barricade, walked up to the demonstrators and gestured with his finger. After that, he was observed disputing with them before grabbing a rifle and starting to shoot.
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⚠️ Visuals ⚠️
An old man shot 2 selfstyled-change climate activists who were blocking a highway for long in Panama.After he pulled out his gun, one of the activists yelled “why don’t you shoot”—and he subsequently fired the fatal shots. Arrested https://t.co/Xb7ZxrIX2x
— Megh Updates 🚨™ (@MeghUpdates) November 9, 2023
The man is seen taking out a revolver from his pocket as he casually approaches the demonstrators who are dancing to music in the disturbing video that has gone popular on the internet. He appears to be requesting them to move aside while threatening them with his gun in the images. He then tries to clear the pathways by taking down the obstacles. After arguing with them, he abruptly shoots two of them dead at point blank range.
The footage then shows people attempting to save the lives of the two demonstrators who were shot and killed by the man in the Chame neighborhood west of Panama City. But one of them passed away before aid could come, while the other was declared dead at a nearby hospital. The gunman is then seen being led to a squad car while wearing handcuffs.
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According to Newsroom Panama and Agence France-Presse, the gunman has been identified as Kenneth Darlington, 77, a professor and lawyer with dual citizenship in the US and Panama.
The president of Panama, Laurentino Cortizo, expressed his sympathies to the families of the deceased protestors, stating that such a crime “has no place” in the welcoming culture of his country.
The event happened during the third week of protests over a massive mining contract that gave First Quantum Minerals, located in Canada, the right to continue operating the largest pit copper mine in the area for at least 20 more years.