---
title: "Gang Violence Puts Panama’s Security Forces Under Strain After Police Sergeant’s Killing in El Chorrillo"
date: 2026-04-15
modified: 2026-04-16
author: ""
url: https://panamadaily.news/el-chorrillo-gangs-police-sergeant-killing/
categories:
  - "Crime"
  - "News"
  - "Politics"
tags:
  - "El Chorrillo"
  - "gang violence"
  - "José Raúl Mulino"
  - "micro-trafficking"
  - "organized crime"
  - "Panama Police"
---

# Gang Violence Puts Panama’s Security Forces Under Strain After Police Sergeant’s Killing in El Chorrillo

## What Happened

The killing of Police Sergeant Alvis Espinosa in El Chorrillo has once again exposed the violence that grips one of Panama’s most troubled neighborhoods. Espinosa was on duty with fellow officer Gerardo Sánchez when they responded to a resident’s alert about five young men seen running with firearms near the PRD football court.

As the officers approached the area, they came under gunfire. Both took cover inside a nearby wooden house, but Sánchez was struck in the chest and fell at the scene. A necropsy confirmed that Espinosa died after suffering a gunshot wound to the left chest that caused massive bleeding, despite first aid efforts.

The neighborhood, which covers 48.8 hectares, has become one of the most dangerous areas in the country, according to residents and security authorities. People who live there describe repeated shootings, territorial disputes and a constant climate of fear.

## A Neighborhood Caught in Crossfire

Residents say gunfire is part of everyday life in El Chorrillo even with a heavy police presence. One long-time resident described a pattern in which police patrols move through the area and armed youths quickly appear to fire at rival groups across the street or from one sidewalk to another.

At night, the sound of footsteps, gunshots and shouted threats breaks the silence. By morning, children can be seen picking up shell casings left behind in the streets and patios. The violence has become so routine that many families have adapted their daily movement around the danger.

Several gangs operate in the area, including Vietnam, Bagdad, Calor Calor, Patio Sucio and El Pentágono. Their presence in El Chorrillo and nearby Santa Ana reflects a broader criminal map that stretches across the capital and into Colón, San Miguelito and other parts of the country.

## Gang Networks and Territorial Control

Security authorities say at least 180 gangs and criminal groups operate in Panama, with activities centered on micro-trafficking, homicides and disputes over drug territory. In El Chorrillo, Bagdad is considered one of the most powerful groups. It has occupied streets 21 through 25 and has been linked to temporary alliances with other gangs for attacks and score-settling.

Calor Calor also maintains a strong presence in the area and has cells in Panama Oeste and San Miguelito. Members of that group have been tied to the deadly December 1, 2019 massacre at La Joya prison, where 15 people were killed and 13 others wounded.

The gang 15 Pisos operates in the Multifamiliar 24 de Diciembre, while Patio Sucio is centered on six apartment blocks that share the same name. El Pentágono operates in streets 15 through 18 in Santa Ana and occasionally enters El Chorrillo in disputes over territory.

## Government Response

Authorities say the two people detained in connection with Espinosa’s killing are linked to a criminal structure involved in micro-trafficking, and police are still searching for three additional members. A judge ordered provisional detention for the two suspects on charges of aggravated intentional homicide and association with an illicit group.

The killing comes amid a wider security push. On October 10, 2024, President José Raúl Mulino launched Operation Panamá 3.0, a campaign aimed at dismantling gang networks and restoring public safety. The government later announced the deployment of 900 police officers, border agents and aeronaval personnel to reinforce patrols and crime prevention in high-risk areas.

Security Minister Frank Ábrego said 76% of the 158 homicides registered in 2026 are linked to drug trafficking. He also said 166 people have been arrested for pandillerismo, 117 for homicide and 18,733 for various crimes, while 136 homicide suspects remain wanted.

Between January and April, police carried out eight anti-gang operations and had ten more planned. During that same period, authorities seized 661 firearms and more than 5,600 packages of drugs, underscoring the scale of the criminal pressure facing Panama’s security forces.

## Why It Matters

The death of a police sergeant in El Chorrillo highlights the risks officers face in neighborhoods where gangs maintain strong territorial control and criminal activity is tied to the regional drug trade. It also underscores how violence in Panama’s urban communities is increasingly connected to organized networks that extend from neighborhood blocks to maritime trafficking routes.