Man kills woman on the street in Cataño, then takes his own life
By John McPhaul
jpmcphaul@gmail.com
Days after the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics held the First Symposium on Gender Violence Statistics in Puerto Rico, a murder-suicide was reported at 8 a.m. Tuesday at a mini grocery store in Barrio Palma in the Cucharilla Sector of Cataño.
The killing was allegedly carried out by a man who shot a woman before taking his own life, police said.
According to the police, the incident began on the premises of a supermarket where allegedly an argument broke out and then shots were heard. The woman died on the pavement after being shot by the man, who has not yet been identified and who police said was violating a protection order.
Police said that after the slaying, the man entered the business and took his own life.
The case is being treated as a domestic violence incident under the purview of Law 54.
Late last week, in the aforementioned symposium, health and statistical perspective topics of major relevance were addressed, such as the importance of the health perspective when analyzing violence, “safe kits” and help for victims of rape, domestic violence rates in Puerto Rico, the processing of protection orders, other manifestations of gender-based violence, and risky behaviors in high school students, among others.
Statistics Institute Executive Director Dr. Orville M. Disdier Flores said the symposium was of great importance for the institute and for society in general since it was a forum that deepened the empirical evidence and offered key information that can contribute to the prevention and eradication of gender violence in Puerto Rico.
“From the Institute we emphasize the importance of continuing to provide data and statistics that allow us to continue developing strategies that help the economic and social development of Puerto Rico, and to build a healthy society both physically and mentally,” Disdier said.
The Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics is an executive branch government entity, with fiscal and administrative autonomy, whose main purpose is to ensure that Puerto Rico has complete, reliable statistics and quick and universal access. More information can be found at its website: www.estadisticas.pr.; and on social networks through Facebook (@estadisticas.pr), Twitter (@EstadisticasPR), Instagram (@institutodeestadisticas) and LinkedIn (Institute of Statistics of Puerto Rico).