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Federal Court Upholds Indictment of Gendarme in Tear-Gas Shot That Gravely Injured Photographer

An appeals court cited forensic evidence with video to uphold the charges, moving the case toward trial.

Overview

  • Héctor Jesús Guerrero remains indicted for grievous bodily harm aggravated by his official role and for abuse of weapons, with the ruling issued by the Federal Chamber’s Sala II.
  • The court found Guerrero fired at least six tear-gas rounds between 5:00 p.m. and 5:22 p.m. in a nearly horizontal direction toward demonstrators outside Congress.
  • One round identified as “shot 4” pierced a wooden structure before striking Pablo Grillo’s head, causing an open skull fracture and intracranial hematomas that the forensic service said were life‑threatening.
  • Judges cited manuals and international standards that bar firing tear-gas projectiles directly at people, characterizing the method as unlawful and highly dangerous.
  • The chamber rejected the defense claim that the launcher’s imprecision excused the outcome, ratified a 203 million‑peso asset embargo, and noted a call by Judge Roberto Boico to probe the chain of command.