Boy killed in Montevideo street race shooting, minister blames criminal feuds

A tragic shooting at a clandestine street race in Montevideo's Parque Rodó has claimed the life of a 12-year-old boy and left several others injured. Interior Minister Carlos Negro described the incident as a "tragic consequence" of "a series of revenges" between criminal groups operating in the Villa Española area.

Authorities are launching a broad operation involving all units of the National Police to combat homicides and violence. The minister also highlighted the ongoing challenge posed by illegal street races, which are difficult to control as they are organized spontaneously by young people via WhatsApp and frequently change locations.

Negro noted that a police operation was already en route to disperse the crowd when the shooting occurred. He confirmed that the injured individuals were members of the same family. The investigation is ongoing to identify those responsible. The minister also revealed that one of the involved families has lost nearly all its members to the ongoing feuds, but new related groups continue to emerge, complicating efforts to address the problem.

The official report from the Ministry of the Interior detailed that the 12-year-old victim died from a chest wound after arriving at the hospital. Five other individuals, aged 14, 22, 26, 30, and 54, sustained gunshot wounds and are being treated in various health centers.