What had begun as a quiet ride for about 50 passengers on the route of transportation San Pedro Sula - La Esperanza, Intibucá, yesterday became a nightmare when three criminals attacked the bus, an action that ended in a shootout that left three injured and one dead person. Passengers injured were Ronald Alberto Perez, 27, Jeni Alejandra Benitez, 7, and Peace Corps Volunteer Lauren Robert, 27. The volunteer was shot in the right leg and is recovering in a private clinic in San Pedro Sula. She said she became suspicious when the assailants boarded the bus criminals because they matched the profile of offenders and one of them caught her eye because he was carrying a jacket to large for his size.
Peace Corps Volunteer Lauren Robert wounded during Bus Robbery in Honduras that left three injured and one dead
One dead in bus robbery SPS - La Esperanza
10:51 pm - Paul Cerrato: pcerrato@grupoeditorial.hn
Passenger who repelled the attack of criminals died.
Caption: One person was killed and three were injured including Peace Corps Volunteer Lauren Robert, 27, in an attack on a bus on the transportation route from San Pedro Sula to La Esperanza, Intibucá on December 4, 2011. The Peace Corps Volunteer was shot in the right leg and was taken to recover in a private clinic in San Pedro Sula and later back to the US. Honduras suffers the world's highest murder rate - 82 killings per 100,000 people a year. The army is currently taking on policing duties in response to a wave of violence. All 158 currently serving volunteers are safe and accounted for and will participate in a conference in January before returning to the United States on administrative leave. Peace Corps announced on December 21, 2011 that the agency will review the safety and security climate in Honduras before continuing with volunteer operations.
San Pedro Sula,
Honduras
What had begun as a quiet ride for about 50 passengers on the route of transportation San Pedro Sula - La Esperanza, Intibucá, yesterday became a nightmare when three criminals attacked the unit, an action that ended in a shootout that left injured and a dead person.
Passengers injured were Ronald Alberto Perez, 27, Jeni Alejandra Benitez, 7, and American Lauren Robert, 27.
The alleged offender Nelson Nahum Ordonez Lopez, 19, is the fourth wounded by one of the passengers who repelled the assault and died last night at the Mario Rivas in San Pedro Sula. The name of the fatality is Rony Antonio Barrios, 43.
Ordonez was arrested by police after his buddies left him badly wounded left on the roadside.
The incident occurred on the bridge Manacal between the municipality of Poterillos and the La Barca, on the road from San Pedro Sula Tegucigalpa leads.
Holdup
Jose Antonio Villanueva, bus driver Karlita company, related what happened. "We left at 11.30 am in the unit came about 50 people, including children and adults.
A few minutes had passed from the terminal, in San Pedro Sula, when three men at a gas station did stop signal to the bus and boarded as passengers. "
More than half an hour, three men shouted that it was an assault and that no one objected.
The first to be held at gunpoint with a pistol was the driver, being forced to slow down the unit while the other two robbers were of theirs with the passengers.
Suddenly, several shots were heard inside the bus, one of the passengers had used his gun and confronted the thugs, who returned fire and stripped of his gun, one of the criminals immediately ordered Villanueva stop the progress of the unit, which was used to drag out of his companion who was seriously injured.
"When I saw that they had fallen and the wounded crying for help sped up to where I could to make it safely to rest and to assist those who had been hit by bullets," he said.
The other occupants were unharmed by a miracle, as the case of a couple who traveled to Siguatepeque, the young man took his two year old son slept in the legs, one of the bullets crossed the muscle and brush baby's buttocks without gravity.
Upon reaching the police station of La Barca, agents helped the occupants of the bus and proceeded to send several medical centers in San Pedro Sula. While this was happening, a police patrol that was in the neighborhood was notified of the assault and went to the site where the alleged thief captured wounded.
Elvis Bonilla, head of the police department five of Cortez, said a special team worked yesterday for the other two assailants who assume they hid in the area.
At the hospital
Mario Rivas to San Pedro Sula police security was transferred to Ordonez Lopez, a native and resident of La Ceiba in the Arrow, Santa Barbara.
The injured girl's mother said that when the robbery was hidden under the seat, then the criminals get out of the bus his daughter said "Mommy, it hurts the back" and that's when she discovered her daughter had been wounded bullet.
Lauren Robert is a member of the Peace Corps originally from Texas, United States, and residing in Yamaranguila, Intibucá.
The American was shot in the right leg and is recovering in a private clinic in San Pedro Sula. She said she became suspicious since he boarded the bus criminals because they have described the profile of offenders and one of them caught his eye chumpa carrying a very large for its size.
