Killing of minors by police officers grows 55% in Venezuela

The murder of 14-year oil high school student in San Cristobal, Táchira state, on Tuesday by an officer of the Bolivarian National Police amid a demonstration has shocked the public opinion, but also, as the directors of non-profit organization Cecodap point out, it calls into question the proportional use of police force with the use of lethal weapons in street protests. According to a statistics report prepared by that organization, out of the 912 children and adolescents murdered in Venezuela last year, 126 homicides were perpetrated by police and military officers, which represents 13.8% of total killings reported. More…