Dominican Republic minister shot dead in his OFFICE during weekly meeting, before cops swarm building

By Aliki Kraterou

THE Dominican Republic’s minister of the environment and natural resources was shot dead in his office during a weekly meeting.

Orlando Jorge Mera, 55, was in his office in Santo Domingo when a gunman burst into the meeting and killed the minister.

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The Minister of the Environment of the Dominican Republic was shot dead in his office[/caption]

EPA

Police swarmed the minister’s office, in Santo Domingo[/caption]

Authorities said he was shot by Miguel Cruz, who has been detained.

Police and emergency officials swarmed the office of the Environment and Natural Resources Ministry in the capital and barred entry to it as mourners gathered nearby.

According to local media, witnesses said they heard a total of seven shots and the shooter, who entered the room alone, managed to escape afterwards.

Jorge’s office is located on the fourth floor of a building that also houses the Ministry of Tourism.

The Environment Ministry tweeted: “We are dismayed by the situation presented on Monday morning.

“So far we have no details of what happened.”

The office of President Luis Abinader said: “We express our deepest condolences”.

Bartolom Pujals, executive director of the government’s Cabinet of Innovation, wrote that he lamented the killing.

“His death is a tragedy,” he said.

“We Dominicans have to come together to achieve a pact for peace and peaceful coexistence. No more violence.”

Jorge was an attorney and a founding member of the Modern Revolutionary party.

He was appointed minister of the environment and natural resources in August 2020.

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The minister was a founding member of the Modern Revolutionary party[/caption]

Source: Dominican Republic minister shot dead in his OFFICE during weekly meeting, before cops swarm building

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