One killed and four wounded in Villa Española shooting; another homicide reported in Canelones

A shooting in Montevideo’s Villa Española left one man dead and four others injured, with police saying the initial evidence pointed to a criminal conflict rather than a football-related dispute.

The gunfire occurred at Tomás Claramunt and Juan Vicente de Arco after 5:30 p.m. Police said five men were standing in a public area when a vehicle passed and people inside fired multiple shots. The victims were taken to Pasteur Hospital.

Medical staff later confirmed the death of a 19-year-old man, who had a criminal record and was serving a period of supervised release. A 22-year-old man remained in serious condition, while another 38-year-old victim did not suffer serious injuries. Police found a 9 mm casing and two deformed projectiles at the scene, along with about 25 bullet impacts on nearby homes.

The timing of the shooting prompted speculation that it might be linked to the rivalry between Peñarol and Nacional supporters, shortly after their clásico match. Montevideo police chief Alfredo Clavijo rejected that link in the preliminary investigation. He said the dead man had a record and another wounded man was wanted by the Homicide Department. He added that the family present at the scene wore Peñarol, Nacional and Cerro shirts.

In a separate case, police in Canelones found the body of a 50-year-old man in a roadside ditch near Paso Hondo and Route 101 in Colonia Nicolich. A doctor identified sharp-force injuries, and the case was assigned to the Homicide Department and the Pando prosecutor’s office.

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Everything would indicate that it was a criminal conflict.