These were the cries that alerted Guatemalan police to their presence on Friday night in Guatemala’s capital. They found a horrifying scene in which three teenage girls aged 14-17 had beheaded a 15 year-old girl.
One of the officers was holding the victim while the other was filming on her cell phone. The victim died on the spot despite their intervention. The three teenager girls, members of the Barrio 18 gang were arrested.
At this point, the motive behind the crime is unknown. Like Mara Salvatrucha’s rival, the Barrio 18 gang specializes in racketeering and bus companies. They also murder employees who refuse to pay.
Around 50% of the 3500 violent deaths in Guatemala each year are due to gangs and drug trafficking.