BRIEFS. crime

Police investigate suspicious shooting

Lawyer Jorge Alexis Garrido Monfante remained hospitalized yesterday after being shot in the face in the early morning hours while on Calle Uruguay in Bella Vista. Garrido, a partner at the criminal law firm Garrido & Garrido, was treated for a gunshot wound in his mouth in an incident that is currently under investigation, according to police sources.

The 50-year-old attorney was hit by gunfire while he stood in front of the nightclub Kaos, formerly known as Pilatvs, located on Calle Uruguay, a district notorious for rowdy nightlife.

Authorities at the Directorate of Judicial Investigation are investigating whether the shooting is tied to the apparent dispute between Garrido’s criminal law firm and the Colombian David Murcia Guzmán, owner of Grupo DMG, who was embroiled in a scandal for allegedly swindling millions of dollars.

In August 2003, Garrido’s two sons were kidnapped and ransomed for $5 million. The police eventually negotiated their release.