Harol Julián Giraldo Gómez died in a Neiva clinic after eight days in intensive care, shot while trying to prevent a motorcycle robbery in Pitalito. The incident happened on February 4 in the Aguablanca neighborhood and marks the eleventh homicide in the municipality so far in 2026. Authorities are investigating to apprehend those responsible.
On February 4, at 4:03 p.m., two men on a motorcycle attempted a fleteo robbery in front of a commercial establishment on Calle 7 No. 1A-06 in the Aguablanca neighborhood, Comuna Tres, in Pitalito, Huila. Harol Julián Giraldo Gómez, a local merchant, intervened to thwart the robbery, leading to an exchange of gunfire, including the use of a traumatic weapon. He sustained a bullet wound that left him critically injured.
Witnesses immediately assisted Giraldo Gómez and took him to the San Antonio de Pitalito Departmental Hospital, where he underwent surgery. Due to the severity of his injury, on February 7 he was transferred to the Uros Clinic in Neiva, where he remained in the Intensive Care Unit. Despite medical efforts, he died the following Thursday, bringing the number of homicides in Pitalito in 2026 to 11.
Giraldo Gómez's death has caused dismay in the community. On social media, relatives expressed their grief. Orlando Beltrán wrote: “Our solidarity in this regrettable event for his family. May God give them much strength. What a terrible security situation the municipality of Pitalito-Huila is going through!”. Omar Galeano added: “What a shame that good, hardworking and fighting people suffer this in Pitalito and no one does anything, my God. We will miss you, don Harol”.
His body was taken to the National Institute of Legal Medicine for autopsy and then handed over to the family for a wake in Pitalito. Authorities are gathering witness statements and reviewing security cameras to identify the attackers. This case adds to recent ones, such as the murder of Eider Imbachí Toledo on February 9 and Wilber Lizcano Vitoviz on February 8, highlighting the rise in violence in the area.