Suspected teen ‘sicario’ pleads not guilty to shooting Colombian senator

Police judge the 15-year-old arrested for the attempted execution of Senator Miguel Uribe was a hitman moving for money.

A 15-year-old lad accused of trying to assassinate Colombian Senator and statesmanlike campaigner Miguel Uribe has pleaded “not guilty”, the prosecutor’s bureau said.

The teen was formally charged connected Tuesday with the attempted execution of 39-year-old blimpish statesmanlike campaigner Uribe, who was changeable successful the caput connected Saturday and is fighting for his life successful captious information successful hospital.

The teen – who constabulary judge was a “sicario” oregon hitman moving for wealth – was besides charged with carrying a firearm.

“No household successful Colombia should beryllium going done this,” Uribe’s wife, Maria Claudia Tarazona, told reporters extracurricular the infirmary wherever her hubby is being treated.

“There is nary sanction for this – it’s not pain, it’s not horror, it’s not sadness,” she said.

The senator’s father, Miguel Uribe Londono, thanked the “millions of Colombians and radical astir the satellite for their prayers”.

“Miguel, amidst the symptom and dismay that overwhelms us, has managed to unite this state successful a azygous dependable that rejects violence,” his begetter added.

It is not known wherefore Senator Uribe, who was vying for the candidacy of his party, was attacked. He was polling good down different enactment candidates astatine the clip of the shooting.

Footage from the country of the shooting showed Uribe addressing supporters successful the westbound of the superior Bogota erstwhile a younker rushed towards him firing astatine slightest 8 shots. Uribe was deed doubly successful the caput and erstwhile successful the leg.

The alleged attacker was apprehended by information guards and a Glock 9mm pistol was recovered.

In a video of the teen’s capture, independently verified by the Reuters quality agency, the fishy tin beryllium heard shouting that helium had been hired by a section cause dealer.

An earlier video showed that arsenic the suspect, who was wounded, attempted to flight the scene, a dependable could beryllium heard shouting, “I did it for the money, for my family.”

But successful court, the teen rejected charges of attempted execution and amerciable possession of a firearm, the lawyer general’s bureau said. If convicted, helium faces up to 8 years successful a rehabilitation centre, not prison, arsenic helium is simply a minor.

Also connected Tuesday, Colombia was rocked by weaponry and weapon attacks successful the country’s southwest wherever astatine slightest 7 radical were killed successful a question of unit that echoed earlier decades erstwhile attacks by equipped fighters, paramilitary groups and cause traffickers were common.

Bystanders look astatine the wreckage of a car aft it exploded successful beforehand of the City Hall successful Corinto, Cauca department, Colombia, connected June 10, 2025 [Joaquin Sarmiento/AFP]

The weaponry and weapon attacks were apt caused by an equipped radical that splintered from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebels, according to the service and police.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro, meanwhile, has broadly pointed the digit astatine an planetary transgression ringing arsenic being down the onslaught connected Uribe, without providing details oregon evidence.

Colombian Interior Minister Armando Benedetti suggested determination whitethorn beryllium a nexus with the assassination effort arsenic rebels person progressively turned to cause trafficking to concern their activities, though helium did not supply evidence.

President Petro has ordered beefed-up information for authorities officials and absorption leaders successful effect to the attacks.

Uribe had been a staunch professional of Petro’s information strategy, aimed astatine ending six decades of equipped conflict, arguing that Petro’s attack of pausing offensives connected equipped groups contempt the nonaccomplishment of bid talks lone backfired.

The legislator had 2 government-provided bodyguards protecting him astatine the clip of the shooting, the caput of the National Protection Unit said.

Uribe’s lawyer, Víctor Mosquera, said his lawsuit had repeatedly asked for much bodyguards.

Source:

Al Jazeera and quality agencies