Chile: Two Minors Shot by Police, Protests Sparked

Two minors were shot by carabineros (Chilean police) during an operation on Wednesday at the Sename residence in Tahualcano, south of the country. The police brutality has caused turmoil in social media.

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The lawyer and children's advocate in Chile, Patricia Muñoz, denounced that "this situation is one more manifestation of the horror represented by the state violence exercised by those who have to protect children and adolescents but instead they carry out unjustified attacks."

The Ombudsman for Children also said that today it would start legal actions to defend the children. However, "the damage is done, and the role of the government is to prevent this kind of events," Muñoz said as she emphasized that "once more the government has failed to protect them and the situation can no longer continue."

According to information from the Las Higueras de Talcahuano hospital, after 5:00 pm, the two minors, 17 and 14 years old respectively, arrived in the facility with gunshot wounds to their limbs. Demonstrators gathered outside of the children's residence in Tahualcano to protest against police brutality.

On the other hand, the National Institute of Human Rights (INDH) pointed out that "they also monitor the status of injured children and adolescents, referred to a health center." The health state of the minors is still unknown.