Colombia: Twitter Users Report On Clashes Between Armed Groups in Medellín

Iglesia of Manrique, Medellín. Photo from flickr user laloking97, used under Generic Creative Commons License 2.0 Attribute-ShareAlike

On the night of November 9th, in the Manrique Santa Inés sector [es] of Medellín, Colombia, some explosions were heard that the majority of inhabitants associated with gun shots. Quickly Twitter messages appeared, including messages from the mayor of Medellin Alonso Salazar's official Twitter account; other tweets mentioned gunfire in other parts of the city as well.

César Serna (@augustoserna) said:

En Manrique Santa Ines se escuchan bastantes tiros hace varios minutos, como q la cosa esta grave! #Medellin

In Manrique Santa Ines quite a few shots were heard a few minutes ago, it sounds serious! #Medellin

Andrés Felipe (@ecoandres) asked:

Que esta pasando en Medellín, que es esa cantidad de explosiones que se siente en la parte alta de Manrique?

What is happening in Medellín? What is with those explosions that were heard in the upper part of Manrique?

Meanwhile Sergio D. Barrera (@SergioDBarrera) reported on the event:

@internautismo reportando desde el lugar de la noticia… aproximadamente fueron 14 minutos de rafagas de fuego en la comuna 3-4 de Medellin

@internautismo reporting from the site of the news… there were approximately 14 minutes of gun fire in the 3-4 community of Medellin

Zombgle (@Idontownmusic) mentions gunfire being heard in another location of the city:

@federicorios No solo hubo bala en Manrique sino en el sector de Velódromo y Estadio. Que habrá pasado? #Medellin

@federicorios There were not just bullets in Manrique, in the Velódromo y Estadio sector there were some shots. What might have happened? #Medellin

Through the official twitter account of the mayor of Medellín Alonso Salazar (@alonsosalazarj), it was possible to read an ongoing conversation between one citizen and the mayor that recognized their recent work on the problems generated by the rainy season in the city, and in its time raised the issue of the difficulty of maintaining public order:

Camilo Pérez (@Kperezr):

@alonsosalazarj […] y qué se va a hacer para evitar que se repita lo que pasó anoche en manrique?

Alonso Salazar (@alonsosalazarj):

@Kperezr anoche como a las diez de la noche la banda de la terraza y la del desierto hicieron disparos al aire para provocar.

Camilo Pérez (@Kperezr):

@alonsosalazarj […] and what are you going to do in order to avoid repeating what happened last night in Manrique?

Alonso Salazar (@alonsosalazarj):

@Kperezr last night at around 10pm the La Terraza and El Desierto gangs fired shots in the air to provoke a response.

Finally, through the latest publication from the Mayor's Twitter account, a “neutralization” of the events has been reported. Alonso Salazar (@alonsosalazarj) said:

@Kperezr me informa el C. Martinez que el goes se hizo presente y neutralizó. La dificultad: disparan desde terrazas y no se puede allanar.

@Kperezr C. Martinez told me that the GOES (special operations) arrived and restored order. The hard part: the initial shots fired by the Terraza members and not being able to overcome that.

After the events a feeling of uncertainty was felt, owing to a lack of media coverage on the shootings. Artessano (@arttesano) declared:

@ColoresMari me gustaria seber que cuentan los twitteros de la #balacera en #medellin , les créo mas a ellos que a los ¨medios¨

@ColoresMari I would like to know what the twitter users say about the #balacera (shooting) in #medellin, I believe them more than the media

Marcela Pérez García @Marcelita_P88) asked on Twitter:

Qué se sabe sobre la balacera en #Medellin Los medios reportan la noticia???

What do we know about the shooting in #Medellin? Is the media reporting the news???

Carlos Peña (@penasalgado) said:

Vamos a ver que sale en medios sobre la balacera de anoche en #medellin y confirmamos la leyenda del “pacto” de Alonso con los medios.

We will see what the media says about the shooting last night in #medellin and we will confirm the rumor of Alonso's “deal” with the media.

Juan David Escobar (@ElReticente) criticized,

Los periodistas no dicen ni mú sobre la guerra en los barrios, porque no viven allá, y porque Medellin es imparable.

The newspaper writers don't say a word about the war in our neighborhoods because they don't live there, and because Medellin can't be stopped.

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