# Violence against Carabineros in Chile

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/violence-against-carabineros-in-chile
> Updated: 2026-08-13T01:09:23.000Z. Sources: 13. Developments: 2.

A Carabineros officer was seriously wounded during a preventive patrol in the northern sector of Antofagasta, Chile. The incident occurred at the intersection of Huachaca and Chiloé while officers were checking an individual suspected of street-level drug sales.

The assailant fired multiple shots at the personnel before fleeing. The 44-year-old officer sustained gunshot wounds to his arms, forearm, and back, resulting in a hemopneumothorax. Following emergency surgery at the Hospital Regional de Antofagasta, medical officials confirmed the officer is no longer in life-threatening condition, though he is being treated for a fractured humerus.

Regional authorities, including Colonel Luis Muñoz and Presidential Delegate Katherine López, condemned the attack. A large-scale police operation involving the Organized Crime and Homicide Team (ECOH) and OS9 is underway to locate the suspects. Authorities clarified that the shooting was a direct attack during a patrol and not related to kidnapping rumors circulating on social media.

In the investigation into the attempted homicide, police have identified two subjects of interest: Mauricio Andrés Rojas Santander, a 40-year-old Chilean, and Ricardo José Rodríguez Sánchez, a 26-year-old Venezuelan national known by the aliases ‘Cantinflas’ and ‘El Menor’. Efforts to locate these individuals are ongoing.

## Claims

- Operation Cancerbero involved the transfer of 191 high-risk inmates to the La Laguna prison in Talca. (corroborated by 5 sources)
- Carabineros identified two subjects of interest in the investigation of an attack on a police officer in Antofagasta. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- A 44-year-old first sergeant was shot four times during a police inspection in Antofagasta. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- Of the transferred inmates, 37 are linked to organized crime groups, including nine leaders. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- President José Antonio Kast described the mass inmate transfer as a historic day for prison security. (single source)
- The La Laguna prison complex in Talca features 14 modules and high-tech surveillance systems. (single source)

## Timeline

### 2026-08-13: Chilean police investigate Antofagasta shooting and execute mass inmate transfer

Chilean authorities are investigating an armed attack on a police officer in Antofagasta while executing ‘Operation Cancerbero,’ a massive transfer of high-risk inmates to the La Laguna prison in Talca.

13 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/carabineros-officer-wounded-in-antofagasta-shooting

### 2026-07-28: Carabineros officer dies in accidental shooting at La Serena police station

A Carabineros officer died after an accidental gun discharge during a weapons handover at La Serena's police station; authorities have referred the case to the Military Prosecutor’s Office.

5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/carabineros-officer-dies-in-accidental-shooting-at-la-serena-police-station

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Cite as: Violence against Carabineros in Chile. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/violence-against-carabineros-in-chile