A routine procedure to avoid evasion of paying fares on TransMilenio ended up becoming a violent episode that is today being investigated by judicial authorities.
The events occurred on the morning of June 10 in the Portal 20 de Julio, in the town of San Cristóbalwhere a security guard was attacked with a hammer by a man who, according to information known to EL TIEMPO, would have reacted violently after being prevented from entering the system without validating the ticket.
According to the reconstruction of the events known to this newspaper, several guards were carrying out controls at one of the entrances to the portal when they detected a couple who was allegedly trying to enter the system irregularly.
According to the information collected during the investigation, when they were prevented from passing, the man began to react aggressively. Initially, he hurled insults at the guards and shouted at them things like saying that they were “sons of bitches, gonorrhea, that’s why they kill us.”
Despite the offenses, the security personnel continued with the procedure to prevent irregular entry. However, the situation escalated.
According to information known to EL TIEMPO, the man also began to insult a member of the surveillance team and his own wife, who was trying to stop him. In the midst of the verbal confrontation, he stated that “they should kill us with hammers,” while he continued to confront those who carried out the control.
Moments later the attack occurred
According to the reconstruction of the events, the man took a hammer out of a suitcase and hit one of the security guards who was participating in the procedure on the head.
The worker was wearing his protective helmet, an element that absorbed much of the impact and which was damaged during the attack.
The information known to this newspaper also indicates that the woman who accompanied the alleged attacker tried to take the hammer so that he would leave the scene. However, the man continued to confront security personnel while several guards tried to control him until the arrival of the Police.
Real image of the attack on the July 20 Portal. Photo:Private file
In addition to the physical assault, the worker claimed to have received threats. According to the reconstruction of the events, the man continued to utter insults and told the security guard that they were “toads, sons of bitches” and that he should not be seen on the street because he was going to kill him.
Minutes later, uniformed National Police officers arrived, who carried out the corresponding procedure and captured the alleged aggressor.
Secretary of Security: “The helmet prevented a tragedy”
After hearing about the case, the District Security Secretariat He publicly rejected the attack and highlighted that the protective helmet used by the worker was decisive in avoiding more serious consequences.
“How about this guy? Just because the security guard asked him to pay the fare, he took out a hammer and hit him in the head. Fortunately the victim had his protective helmet, which prevented a tragedy,” the entity said through its social networks. The Secretariat also confirmed the capture of the alleged aggressor and requested that the case move forward judicially.
“The man was captured and we hope that the full weight of the law falls on him. These events must be reported and everyone must protect these men and women who support order in the transportation system,” the entity added.
TransMilenio talks about a possible murder attempt
For its part, TransMilenio SA confirmed that the National Police captured the alleged perpetrator and forcefully rejected the attack against the worker.
According to the managing entity, the situation would have originated after the security personnel called the aggressor for attention for having entered the system without validating the ticket.
“The National Police confirmed the capture of the aggressor. This violent act against the surveillance personnel, who is at the service and disposal of the users of the System, has no justification and can be configured as an attempted homicide, a fact that will be determined by the competent authorities,” the entity indicated.
TransMilenio also reported that the security guard is in good health and, fortunately, has no serious injuries.
The company also confirmed that the worker filed the corresponding complaint and reiterated its rejection of any act of violence and intolerance within the system.
“The Managing Entity remembers that the System’s operational staff provides an essential service for the city and for the more than four million users mobilized by Bogotá’s public transportation,” the company added.
Likewise, he called on citizens to promote coexistence and respect for those who work daily in the operation of the system.
What crime could be configured?
He had been reported to the prosecutor’s office since June 2. Photo:Attorney General’s Office
Beyond the capture, one of the main questions that the case leaves is what criminal consequences the alleged aggressor could face.
To answer this concern, EL TIEMPO consulted criminal lawyer Juan Manuel Castellanos, who explained that the final legal qualification will depend on multiple factors, including the findings of Forensic Medicine, the severity of the injuries, the intention of the aggressor and the comprehensive analysis of all the evidence.
“The facts would correspond and fit into an attempted personal injury, since there is a beginning in the execution of the crime, there are some suitable and unequivocal acts aimed at the consummation of the crime; however, due to an external factor or situation beyond the will of the actor, the act is not consummated,” explained the jurist.
The expert added that “it is important to point out that the hammer is an ideal instrument to cause injuries and even endanger life, but since it does not compromise life or personal injury, it remains an attempt,” he indicated.
However, he warned that the case requires careful analysis before reaching definitive conclusions.
“Every detail of the facts must be analyzed very well because it is a rather difficult and complicated case to prosecute,” he said.
Regarding the possibility of an attempted homicide, as TransMilenio raised in its statement, the lawyer considers that, with the information known so far, this hypothesis does not necessarily fit the facts.
“I would say no, because attempted homicide only occurs when a vital organ is compromised, that is, an organ that puts life in suspense. Here, medically speaking, life was never compromised,” he said.
It will be the Attorney General’s Office the one in charge of determining the final legal qualification once it has the results of Forensic Medicine, the security camera recordings, the testimonies of those involved and the other evidentiary material elements collected during the investigation.
Meanwhile, the case once again puts on the table the risks faced daily by workers in charge of controlling evasion and maintaining order within Bogotá’s mass transportation system.
CAROL MALAVER
DEPUTY EDITOR BOGOTÁ
Write to us at carmal@eltiempo.com
