A Chilean police officer is fighting for his life after being shot in the head during a routine check in Puerto Varas, a city in the Los Lagos region. The incident underscores the risks faced by law enforcement officers even during seemingly minor interactions with the public.
Newly released security camera footage obtained by Chilevisión shows Sergeant 2nd Class Javier Figueroa Manquemilla, 36, and his partner approaching a darkened area near a railway line on March 11, 2026.
The officers were responding to a neighbor’s report of a group drinking alcohol in the area. The footage shows the two officers walking toward the group to conduct a welfare check.
Shortly after, at least three gunshots are heard in the video. Sergeant Figueroa’s partner immediately reported that he had been critically wounded in the head. Emergency services and a large contingent of police officers quickly arrived at the scene.
Sergeant Figueroa remains hospitalized in critical condition with a diagnosis of brain death at a hospital in Puerto Montt.
Investigation Ongoing in Shooting of Police Officer in Puerto Varas
Authorities have recovered three shell casings at the scene, including the bullet that struck Sergeant Figueroa. Preliminary reports indicate the firearm was discharged at close range, according to BioBioChile.
Investigators are seeking three men and one woman who were reportedly drinking alcohol in the area at the time of the shooting. The investigation remains ongoing, and details have not been publicly released.
Puerto Varas Mayor Tomás Gárate expressed shock, stating, “We could never have imagined that a low-complexity procedure, such as dealing with public drinking, which is constantly handled by Carabineros and Public Security, would immediately escalate into a cold-blooded shooting.”
Felipe Bustamante, the commune’s security director, added that the most common crimes in the area are burglary, theft, and public intoxication.
The investigation is being led by the Investigative Police (PDI) and the Public Prosecutor’s Office, and is currently under a gag order, according to BioBioChile.
