Is this the bronx, or Buenos Aires? Shootout on Callao y Corrientes

Today after we had finished service, we decided to go get some coffee before we headed over to the meeting. As we were walking to the major intersection near the hall we noticed a huge crowd formed around the subway exit. As we went into the coffee shop we naturally started wondering what was going on. However from where we were it was impossible to see what exactly was going on as the police had taped off the area around the subway entrance, and people were all around. Seeing as i tower above everyone in this country however it was no problem for me to walk up, push my way through the crowd, and look over everyone, and see what was going on. They had a few shell casings laying on the ground circled in chalk and numbered. Tons of police were around, and the capos (from Italian meaning Captain also a very commonly used slang word here) in their suits were investigating what happened. As we were already running late for the meeting we did not have time to hang out and find out exactly what happened.

Now that i have come home from the meeting, i had time to look up the news and i found out what it was that happened. Apparently, three men had robbed a store on the block the Kingdom Hall is located at (A Polleria aka a place that sells chicken…i know right). They were chased by the police to the Subway entrance, where the police fired their weapons wounding two of the guys and hitting on in the throat, brought about his death right there on the steps of the subway entrance. The very same entrance that i walk up every single time i go to the Kingdom Hall. The very same entrance that me and my friend normally would have walked out of today. Did i mention that me and my friend Tallon were coming up from the subway right around the time that this shooting took place?

This is not a normal thing in Buenos Aires. Unlike good ol’ Estados Unidos, its very hard for people to buy guns here. As a result, gun violence is not a common occurrence. However it is not unknown for these things to happen. But where the Kingdom Hall is located at, where this shooting took place is not a bad part of town by any means. Corrientes is the largest street in the city, and is full of stores and restaurants that never close. So for this to happen here is very uncommon. It would be like someone being shot in the middle of time square in New York, or in the loop in Chicago. Either way it lead to an interesting sight for all.

P.S. I would love to post some pictures of the scene however seeing as last week someone liberated my camera from me, i am without any means to take photos at the moment. But i have included links to the story from the local papers. One in English, and one in Spanish. Enjoy!

http://www.buenosairesherald.com/BreakingNews/View/25537
http://www.clarin.com/diario/2010/02/17/um/m-02142276.htm