In this shootout, another 10 people were also injured and had to be taken to a medical center. Río Abajo again became the scene of a shootout on April 8, when Santiago Labastid del Río and Iván Alberto Rivera were shot dead by several individuals. Following the incident, the Police conducted several operations to locate those responsible for the double homicide, but to date, no arrests have been reported. That same day, two passengers traveling on a Metrobus were injured when subjects traveling in separate vehicles exchanged gunfire, and the public transport was caught in the crossfire. On another note, during a police operation in Vacamonte, the Police seized six grenades and 5,330 rounds of ammunition of various calibers, including those for rifles and pistols. Meanwhile, the Deputy Director of the Police, Francisco Castro, assured that these incidents are related to individuals who obtain their income from criminal activities. Castro, who participated in a tour conducted by President José Raúl Mulino of the facilities occupied by Panama Ports, stated that these individuals were linked to different criminal modalities. The official assured that the Police is working hard to neutralize these criminal structures that cause serious harm to the community. In recent weeks, violence has taken over the streets and neighborhoods in several sectors of Panama City, leaving a death toll of dead and injured. In the first two months of 2026, 77 homicides have been reported, according to data from the Public Ministry, while 2025 closed with 593 cases. Authorities assure that the recent shootings registered in Juan Díaz, Calidonia, Río Abajo and other points in the metropolitan area are related to territorial disputes over the control of the sale and distribution of narcotics. The first violent incident was recorded on March 6 on the main street of Costa del Este, when lawyer Nadine de Jesús Pereira died from shots fired from a vehicle. Then, on March 29, former candidate for deputy Jesús "El Shark" Alemán was assassinated with several bullet impacts while participating in a football league in the La Radial area, in Juan Díaz. The Director of the Police, Jaime Fernández, assured that for this case, four individuals have already been identified and that Alemán was not the target of the attack. A person traveling in the victim's car was also injured in this incident. On this occasion, Jean Carlos Valencia was assassinated on the vehicular overpass near the Metromall Shopping Center. According to some witnesses, the victim was being pursued by two men on a motorcycle who opened fire against the vehicle occupied by Valencia. According to the investigations, the victim maintained ties with a cell of the Bagdad gang. Then, on April 7, Karina Torreglosa, 25 years old, died from several shots while transiting on 11 1/2 Street in Río Abajo. In this incident, another 10 people were injured. Later, on April 3, a shootout was registered in the vicinity of the Centenario building, in which Jorge Molina (alias Bologna), a relative of Carlos Caicedo, who remains detained on drug-related charges, died. On April 6, another shooting was reported.
