Argentina Supreme Court upholds state liability for 2004 Patagones school massacre

The Argentine Supreme Court confirmed that both the national State and the province of Buenos Aires are responsible for the 2004 Carmen de Patagones school shooting, in which 15‑year‑old Rafael “Juniors” Solich killed three classmates and injured five others. The court unanimously rejected extraordinary appeals filed by the Ministry of Security and the Buenos Aires prosecutor’s office, leaving in place the obligation to compensate the victims' families.

The ruling follows earlier decisions that held the educational institution and the Naval Prefecture – whose weapon was used – liable for failing to act on warnings about the teenager’s behavior. It affirms previous 2025 judgments ordering indemnities for the families of Sandra Núñez, Evangelina Miranda and Federico Ponce, and it maintains the legal basis for further compensation claims related to the tragedy.