American Arrested in Panama After Video Apparently Shows Fatal Shooting of 2 Eco-Protesters Who Blocked Road (video)

An American lawyer is accused of shooting and killing two environmental protestors in Panama who were part of a group blocking a highway, according to reports.

Kenneth Darlington, 77, is accused of approaching the group, who were blocking a highway in Chame, a district west of Panama City, before firing his gun on Tuesday afternoon, according to a report from Newsroom Panama. One protestor died at the scene, while the other died in the hospital, the outlet reported.

The victims were identified as Abdiel Díaz and Iván Mendoza, according to Newsroom Panama.

A video circulating on social media reportedly appeared to show Darlington fire shots after arguing with the protestors on the highway. One victim was shown lying on the ground after being shot and the other appeared to stumble away before falling to the ground.

The video also shows other protestors attempting to help the two victims, before ending with police leading Darlington into a vehicle. It’s unclear if he has been charged, and it’s unclear if he has retained an attorney.

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Agence France-Presse, citing the country’s National Police, reported that Darlington, of dual American and Panamanian nationality, was arrested.

The road blockade was one of a number of protests across the country after a mining contract was given to the subsidiary of a Canadian company that would allow it to restart a copper mine in the middle of the rainforest, CNN reported. Environmentalists say the mine could contaminate drinking water and devastate the land.

“I express my condolences to the families of the two citizens who lost their lives in an incident that occurred this Tuesday,” Panama President Laurentino Cortizo said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, saying the incident has “no place” in society.

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