7-Year-Old Boy Dies During Gunfight Between Police and Robbers
Thiago Correa, 7, died after being shot in the head during a shootout between a federal police officer and criminals in La Matanza
La Matanza, Argentina — Thiago Correa, a 7-year-old boy, died after being hit by a stray bullet during a shootout between a federal police officer and four criminals in the town of Ciudad Evita, La Matanza district. The tragic incident occurred on Wednesday night, June 4, as Thiago was waiting for the bus with his father.
Officer Facundo Daniel Aguilar Fajardo, 21, a member of the Argentine Federal Police Mounted Unit, was in plain clothes and off duty, accompanied by his mother.
When approached by four armed individuals in an attempted robbery, the officer responded with his service weapon, firing at least a dozen shots.
During the confrontation, one of the assailants died, two were injured, and the fourth managed to escape.
One of the bullets fired by the officer traveled approximately 200 meters and struck Thiago in the head, as he was in his father's arms. The child was rushed to the San Justo Children's Hospital, where he remained in critical condition until his death on Friday night, June 6.
Prosecutor Diego Rulli ordered Aguilar Fajardo's arrest, charging him with homicide in excess of self-defense. Security Minister Patricia Bullrich defended the officer, arguing that he acted in self-defense and held the criminals responsible for the tragedy.
The entire country is shocked by Thiago's death. The Defensores Unidos de La Tablada Club, where the boy played soccer, issued a statement expressing their condolences and remembering Thiago as a young warrior and part of their sporting family.