One guard dead in movie-like armored truck heist in upscale district

Santo Domingo.- One armored vehicle guard was gunned downand another seriously hurt in a movie-like assault as they exited Bella VistaMall in the upscale sector of the same name just after 6:30pm.

The deceased was identified as Manuel Vargas, while theinjured is Jeurys Eduardo Cuevas, of the Grupo 4 S armored vehicle company, whoremains in critical condition in a nearby hospital.

Witnesses at the scene said two men on a motorcycle interceptedthe guards as they were leaving the mall with bags toward the armored truck, whenone of the suspects waiting outside opened a guitar case, pulled out a gun andstarted shooting.

Numerous crime sceneinvestigators cordoned off a section of Sarasota Av., where Central CriminalInvestigations director Ney Arias Almonte confirmed that the two guards werecarrying some bags, but didn’t specify how many.

"We’re are gathering the recordings from the cameras ofthe mall, talking to eye witnesses and forensic police are collecting someevidence to clarify this incident," the official said.

The armored truck, with another guard inside, stood a fewmeters from the Mall’s esplanade.