Journalists slain during Facebook Live broadcast in Dominican Republic
Lone gunman bursts into station and opens fire in eastern city of San Pedro de Macorís
An unidentified gunman burst into the studios of a radio station in the Dominican Republic on Tuesday morning and opened fire, killing a producer and a broadcaster live on air and seriously wounding a secretary.
The final moments of journalist Luis Manuel Medina were recorded on a live video stream on his Facebook page while he was reading the news on 103.5 FM, which broadcasts from the eastern city of San Pedro de Macorís, on the island’s southern coast, halfway between the capital of Santo Domingo and the tourist resort of Punta Cana.
The sound of gunfire can be heard on the video, followed by a woman’s voice shouting “Shots, shots, shots!” Medina continues to read out the news, while looking up at the entering gunman.
Ten of the 17 journalists murdered in 2016 in Latin America worked for radio stations
The other victims were radio producer Luis Martínez and secretary Dayana García. Local media later reported that the gunman appeared to have acted alone, entering the radio station, which is located inside a shopping center, and opening fire without warning. He has not been identified or arrested.
Ten of the 17 journalists murdered in 2016 in Latin America worked for radio stations, said Reporters Without Borders on February 13, World Radio Day. In two of those cases, they were attacked live on air.
The Committee to Protect Journalists reports the killing of four journalists in the Dominican Republic between 1995 and 2015. At least 2,297 journalists and media staff have been killed across the world between 1990 and 2015, according to a report by the International Federation of Journalists.
English version by Nick Lyne.
