A Federal Police sergeant, Cristian Brítez, fired 14 shots without apparent reason in the Buenos Aires neighborhood of Villa Crespo, wounding a passerby in the leg. The incident took place in the early morning of January 20 at the intersection of Fitz Roy and Muñecas streets, and the officer was arrested after testing positive on a dermotest. A witness described how the agent chased him while dry-firing an empty gun.
Sergeant Cristian Antonio Brítez, 34, from the Argentine Federal Police, exited his unmarked black Volkswagen at the corner of Fitz Roy and Muñecas streets in Villa Crespo around 6 a.m. on Tuesday, January 20. Without apparent reason, he fired 14 shots from his 9mm Pietro Beretta pistol, wounding a nearby food company employee in the left leg. The victim, out of danger as the bullet exited his body, was taken by SAME ambulance to Durand Hospital.
A video of the incident went viral on social media, showing the plainclothes officer running and dry-firing repeatedly despite his empty weapon. Brítez shouted 'I'm a soldier' during the episode, witnesses said. A neighbor named Maximiliano, the wounded man's coworker, recounted his frightening encounter: "He dry-fired at me four or five times. I was saved because he had no more bullets; I had a higher power watching over me. He kept looking for me; I managed to run and hid behind a car." Maximiliano was getting off a bus on his way to work when Brítez threatened him without cause.
Officers from the 15B Neighborhood Police Station and Federal Police arrived after a 911 call. Brítez, assigned to security on the Belgrano Sur train and from the Belgrano Sur Police Station, was subdued and detained. His weapon and 14 spent casings were seized. The dermotest was positive for gunshot residue, but no breathalyzer was administered. In his initial statement, Brítez said: "I had gone out with friends." The case is handled by the North Flagrancy Unit, which ordered his immediate arrest. Authorities are investigating if he was under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
The incident raises concerns about the behavior of an on-duty officer, though Brítez was in civilian clothes. No details are available on his health prior to the event.
