They accuse a taxi driver of having shot a couple for not having had a “single” to pay the race

A new case of intolerance was recorded in Bogotá between the night of Tuesday February 14 and the early morning of Wednesday 15, after a couple boarded a taxi that would take them home to the Neighborhood QuirogaIn the town of Raphael Uribe Uribesouth of the city.

According to the complaint filed by the woman, upon arriving at their destination and finding out the price of the ride, they tried to pay with a high-value ticket because they had no more.easy‘. The taxi driver claimed he had nothing to return the excess, and at that point they started arguing.

The conversation was starting to get more and more heated. The three raised their voices and began to complain, until at some point the driver – carried away by anger – she pulled out a gun and pointed it at them.

Terrified, they fled from the vehicle, but the man activated the gun and fired. Fortunately, it was a traumatic weapon, with rubber projectiles, which, although “they can cause injury, damage, trauma and threat”, as stated in Decree 1417 of 2021, are not considered fatal.

Undoubtedly, what surprises the authorities and the inhabitants of the sector the most is that all this happened because the couple did not have a “loose / single” – as it is popularly called – ​to pay for the trip. Denoting the level of intolerance reached by some Bogotanos, who use violence as an option: the first of their short list of possibilities, when it comes to resolving conflicts.

in the article 223 of the Constitution the monopoly of arms and the principle of exclusive use of force are established “at the head of the state”; which means that only members of the Public Force or those who are part of a Security Corps – workers whose functions justify it – will receive a weapon from the institution to which they belong. It should only be used in high risk situations or under instruction, without evading the law.

However, and as often happens in Colombia, the law does not correspond to reality. Criminals across the country use traumatic weapons in repetitive episodes of robbery and threats. With this in mind, on November 4, 2021, the decree 1417“on the classification and regulation of the possession and carrying of traumatic weapons”.

Since then, individuals can possess or carry traumatic weapons for civilian use, with the authorization of the competent authorities; as long as they are used for personal defense.

For apply for a possession license weapons, candidates must follow the following procedure: present the receipt, issued by Indumil, with information relating to the weapon and its owner; request an appointment online with the unique citizen service code and the purchase invoice, and present yourself to have your data, photo and fingerprint included in the weapon information system.

This process can last up to 8 days working days, the time during which the applicant will have to wait, after having made the payment. however, in most cases none of this happens, nor is there any data on the number of traumatic weapons used illegally in the country.

The identity of the driver who activated a traumatic weapon against the Quiroga neighborhood couple is still unknown, and will only be known if the weapon is registered until their whereabouts are found. What is it now