María del Rosario, the officer in charge of Poncitlan’s municipal jail, was shot to death by a detainee within the confines of the local police station after a momentary lapse of attention.
The incident occurred after officers arrested Pablo Francisco “N”, 18, for a minor “administrative” infraction. He was described as acting “drunk and disorderly” but not thought to be dangerous.
While the detainee was being processed inside the station, Del Rosario carelessly allowed him to grab an AR-15 rifle, which he immediately began to fire, fatally wounding the 35-year-old official in the head.
Brandishing the weapon and threatening other officers, Francisco “N” managed to flee the police station and disappear into the streets of the town. Maria del Rosario died at the scene.