Police officer killed in Pisco liquor store shooting during holiday

A police officer providing security at a business in Pisco, Peru, was killed during a shooting incident early Tuesday morning. Two men on a motorcycle opened fire on the establishment, hitting the officer who later died from his injuries. The attack occurred shortly after the president announced citizen security as a top priority, amid ongoing concerns about rising crime.

Carlos Audel Núñez Pérez, a 31-year-old sub-lieutenant of the National Police, was providing security at the Punto Callao liquor store when the assailants arrived on a motorcycle and began shooting. The incident happened around midnight on Tuesday, July 29, during the Fiestas Patrias holiday.

Preliminary reports from local media suggest the attackers fired multiple shots before fleeing. Núñez Pérez was rushed to the hospital but succumbed to his injuries. Security cameras captured the motorcycle passing by and the shooting. Local media also reported that a second officer may have been injured, though the police had not officially confirmed his condition.

Investigators are examining the security footage and collecting evidence at the scene. While unconfirmed, local reports suggest the business may have been targeted due to extortion threats. These theories are part of the ongoing investigation.

The officer's death comes less than 24 hours after President Keiko Fujimori declared citizen security the top priority of her administration. She announced plans to allocate extraordinary resources to combat organized crime, extortion, and contract killings, and to deploy the armed forces to maintain order during states of emergency.