Members Of Venezuela’s National Militarized Police Gunned Down Outside Party

Thursday evening after they left a party in suburban Caracas, Venezuela four police officers were gunned down and killed. The ages of the four officers range from 19 to 24. When they were attacked the officers did not have their firearms, police investigating the shooting are looking for eight suspects believed to be responsible for the officers’ deaths. A man attending the party Thursday evening spoke with reporters at the scene saying the officers “came for a while…and at the time they were leaving [the party] they were ambushed by this group of criminals.”

No arrests have been made as of yet and police are still investigating. Crime in Venezuela saw a 14-percent increase in 2012. That same year 16,072 murders were committed equaling to 54 homicides for every 100,000 inhabitants. According to the Latin American Herald Tribune analysts estimate the real number may be closer to 79 murders per 100,000 citizens. If in fact true this would make Venezuela the most violent country in South America. The Venezuelan government is aware of the crime rates in the country and has devised a “Secure Homeland” plan to increase safety.

In 2013 the homicide rate in Venezuela risen again, and according to a group tracking violent crime rate it has quadrupled in the last 15 years. In an effort to help improve the safety and security of its citizens the Venezuelan government worked out a deal with the Chinese Firm Ceiec to install 30,000 video monitoring systems in over 10 cities. The deal was struck in November with the hope that the security camera would help to decrease crime in Venezuela’s cities.