{"id":12655,"date":"2026-04-14T06:59:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-14T11:59:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/?p=12655"},"modified":"2026-04-13T22:21:58","modified_gmt":"2026-04-14T03:21:58","slug":"wave-of-gang-violence-in-panama-city-leaves-dozens-dead-in-one-week","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/crime-safety\/wave-of-gang-violence-in-panama-city-leaves-dozens-dead-in-one-week\/","title":{"rendered":"Wave of Gang Violence in Panama City Leaves Dozens Dead in One Week"},"content":{"rendered":"

A surge of gang related violence has struck multiple neighborhoods across Panama City this week, resulting in more than a dozen fatalities. Authorities link the killings to a bloody dispute between fragmented criminal groups fighting for control of local territory.<\/p>\n

The violent spree began on Monday, April 6, according to preliminary police reports. A young man was killed in broad daylight on Domingo D\u00edaz Avenue in an attack witnesses say involved multiple gunshots. The brazen shooting, described by officials as a potential contract killing, occurred around 2:00 p.m., alarming drivers and pedestrians.<\/p>\n

\"Polic\u00eda
Panama National Police By AnelGTR – Own work, CC BY 3.0, https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=12134538<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Coordinated Attacks Spread Fear<\/h2>\n

Just 24 hours later, the violence shifted to the R\u00edo Abajo district. Armed assailants using high caliber weapons attacked a local gathering spot on 11th and a Half Street. That assault left a man and a woman dead and at least ten people wounded, including two minors.<\/p>\n

The attacks continued in the same area. Gunmen stormed another nearby establishment, opening fire on residents and killing two more people while injuring several others. The atmosphere in these communities is now defined by fear, mourning, and deep uncertainty.<\/p>\n

“When a criminal organization like the ones in Panama fractures, those below the leader necessarily believe they have the right or the aspiration to dominate the groups,” said retired police officer Carlos Icaza. [Translated from Spanish] “That is where the divisions come from when they fragment into two or four groups.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Residents report the violence has intensified due to clashes between splintered gangs battling over territories linked to drug trafficking<\/a>. The situation reached an alarming new level when a member of the National Police of Panama<\/a> was killed in the populous El Chorrillo neighborhood, allegedly amid the gang confrontations.<\/p>\n