Two U.S. Officials Shot In Venezuela

Two officials from the U.S. Embassy in Venezuela were shot on Monday night in an incident that occurred at a night club situated in the Bello Campo Mall, in the municipality of Chacao, an upscale neighborhood of the Chacao province in the country's capital Caracas, according to local television chain Globovision. 

The wounded officials were identified as Roberto Ezequiel Rosas and Paul Marwin, who were outside the night club in Caracas when a discussion broke out and a suspect, who has not yet been identified, took out a gun and fired at the US workers. The suspect then fled the scene in an automobile, breaking the barriers of the car park exit as he fled.

The U.S. State Department said that two of their officials were injured in an "incident" which occurred early on Tuesday but declined to give any further details on the shooting.

Later in Washington, State Department spokesman William Ostick, informed the public that "two members of the U.S. Embassy in Caracas were injured during an incident early this morning in Venezuela."

"Medical staff have informed us that their injuries do not appear to be life-threatening," he added. "Embassy security and health unit personnel are at the hospital and have been in touch with the two individuals and their families."

Roberto Ezequiel Rosas received two gunshot wounds, one in the abdomen and the other in the leg, while Paul Marwin also suffered a wound to the abdomen which did not endanger any vital organs. Both officials, who work for the military attache of the Embassy, are hospitalized in a clinic in Caracas, according to sources.

Police Deputy Douglas Ricco, has indicated that his office has some information on the event already and hopes to have specifics in the coming hours.

Crime is rampant in Venezuela and has seen a serious escalation in recent years. The country now has one of the world's highest murder rates.

Relationships between United States officials and the Venezuelan government has been sour lately. The socialist regime expelled two U.S. military attaches in March charging them with intruding on their national security and for engaging in what could be considered espionage by allegedly talking to members of the country's armed forces. Washington responded by ejecting two Venezuelan diplomats from the United States.

(Source)