Nicoya hospital shooting kills patient and wounds elderly woman

hospital shooting Nicoya assassination Costa Rica security failure

Two armed assailants entered the Hospital La Anexión de Nicoya in Costa Rica at approximately 3:00 a.m. on Saturday, executing a 32-year-old patient identified as Valverde Matarrita. The attackers, described as wearing masks and carrying long firearms, reportedly threatened a security guard before reaching the observation room where the victim was being treated for a leg injury.

During the shooting, an elderly woman was also wounded in the gluteus by a bullet, though authorities stated her condition is stable. Investigators from the Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ) collected approximately 14 ballistic casings at the scene. The suspects fled in a Toyota Yaris, which was later discovered five kilometers from the hospital.

A significant point of investigation involves why the victim was not under police protection at the time of the attack. While the Guanacaste Prosecutor's Office had previously ordered custody for the man, the measure had been lifted prior to the incident. The Ministry Público stated the decision to suspend custody was based on a technical risk assessment suggesting no flight risk due to the patient's health, and noted there were no prior indications of threats against him.

Entities

Arnold Valverde Matarrita · Fuerza Pública · Guanacaste Prosecutor's Office · Hospital La Anexión · Hospital La Anexión de Nicoya · Ministério Público · Nicoya · Organismo de Investigación Judicial · Valverde Matarrita

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 2 SOURCES] An elderly woman was wounded in the gluteus during the attack and remains stable. labandadiario.com · www.lateja.cr
[● 2 SOURCES] Approximately 14 ballistic casings were collected at the scene. labandadiario.com · www.lateja.cr
[● 2 SOURCES] The attackers fled in a Toyota Yaris, which was later found five kilometers from the hospital. labandadiario.com · www.lateja.cr
[○ 1 SOURCE] The decision to suspend custody was based on a technical risk assessment indicating no flight risk due to the patient's health conditions.
[● 2 SOURCES] The victim, a 32-year-old man named Valverde Matarrita, was shot multiple times in the face and chest. labandadiario.com · www.lateja.cr
[● 2 SOURCES] The victim had police custody ordered by the Guanacaste Prosecutor's Office, but the measure was removed before the attack. labandadiario.com