21/07/2026 15:31 - Judiciales
On the night of Monday, July 20, 2026, the neighborhood of Loma Hermosa, located in the Greater Buenos Aires urban area (specifically within the Tres de Febrero district), was the scene of a tragic event that shocked the nation. Cristian Alberto Gerez, a 36-year-old Corporal of the Argentine Federal Police (PFA), was fatally shot by two criminals attempting to steal his motorcycle.
The attack, which occurred shortly after 8:20 PM on Mariquita Sánchez de Thompson Street, between Ezeiza and Río Bermejo streets, was captured by a security camera. According to reports from TN and Infobae, the footage shows the exact moment the assailants pulled up next to the victim.
For readers unfamiliar with the local context, the attackers were what Argentines call motochorros. This term is a portmanteau of "moto" (motorcycle) and "chorros" (local slang for thieves). It refers to criminals who use motorcycles to commit robberies, a frequent modus operandi in the Buenos Aires metropolitan area due to the agility of motorcycles in heavy traffic.
Police and judicial sources indicate that Gerez was riding his white Honda Wave motorcycle when he was intercepted. The passenger on the robber's bike fired a warning shot into the air. The officer, who was on his day off (known locally as "franco") and in civilian clothes, dismounted, walked backward with his hands up, and surrendered his backpack without resistance. However, when he attempted to draw his service weapon in self-defense, the assailant shot him twice at point-blank range.
The preliminary autopsy report revealed that one of the bullets struck Gerez in the palate and skull, causing instant death. The thieves fled the scene, one on the officer's motorcycle and the other on their own.
The victim was originally from the province of Santiago del Estero but resided in the neighboring district of San Martín. He had nearly 20 years of service in the PFA and worked in the External Networks Division of the Superintendence of Communications, handling telecommunications and fiber optic infrastructure. He had graduated from the non-commissioned officers' school on November 30, 2016. Above all, he was a devoted father to a young daughter.
The crime generated deep commotion and an immediate investigative deployment. Sources consulted by La Nación indicated that the perpetrators are believed to be minors.
Thanks to the analysis of the security footage, the Tactical Operations Group (GTO) successfully identified one of the alleged perpetrators, who was arrested near a settlement known as Puerta 8. The suspect, identified as Bruno García, was taken to the police station for questioning. The Justice system continues the search for the second individual involved, identified by investigators under the alias "NN Byron".
The case is being handled by prosecutors Fabián Hualde and Silvia Sorrentino, from Prosecutor's Office N°1 of the Juvenile Penal Responsibility Court of San Martín, due to the suspects' minority. There is a strong commitment from the authorities to bring full justice and peace to the family of Corporal Gerez.
Alfredo S. Quiroga
