U.S. State Department officials said Tuesday that two U.S. embassy officials sustained gunshot wounds after an altercation that allegedly took place in Venezuela's fairly affluent Chacao neighborhood.
The brawl allegedly started at a strip club known as Antonella 2012, but it is not clear as to whether the shooting occurred inside or outside the vicinity, the Associated Press reported.
Officers said they heard shots in the direction of the nightclub at 4:25 a.m. and witnesses said the shots were fired after a dispute between patrons, Reuters reported. The specific cause for the fight remains unknown.
A source who spoke to reporters under condition of anonymity identified one victim as military attaché Roberto Ezequiel Rosas. She did not know the name of the other victim.
Rosas was shot in the right leg. The other employee is said to have been shot in the stomach, but did not realize he had such an injury until he arrived home.
Following the incident, State Department spokesman William Ostick released a statement stating that the two employees of the embassy in Caracas were injured, but appeared to be well.
"We can confirm that two members of the U.S. Embassy in Caracas were injured during an incident early this morning. Medical staff informs us that their injuries do not appear to be life-threatening," he said in the statement.
Venezuela has one of the highest homicide rates in the world, with crime afflicting mostly poor slums, but has recent spread nationwide.
Last week, the nation's president, Nicolas Maduro, ordered military officials to be placed on the street of the nation's capital to ensure safety. More than 20 increased security measures have been implemented in the country since 1999.
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