BOGOTA, Dec 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — An engineer working for French aerospace and defence company Thales has been shot dead in the Colombian capital Bogota in an apparent targeted assassination, officials said.
The 45-year-old victim was shot late Monday as he left a restaurant with a French colleague in the city’s upscale northern district of Chapinero, the police and Thales said.
“We reject the hypothesis of a robbery. According to the evidence we have, this is an assassination perpetrated by a hitman,” police Major Robert Mendez told reporters.
The killing occurred in a street close to the French embassy. The embassy said the victim, whose identity has not been made public, was on a work assignment for Thales in Bogota.
The city is currently hosting the Expodefensa defence and security trade fair.
Mendez said the victim had previously visited Colombia in 2017 and had “never encountered any problems with anyone during his stay.”
A police source said the victim had been due to return to France on Wednesday.
The killer had approached from behind after the men left the restaurant and targeted only the victim before fleeing, the source said.
Thales specialises in aeronautics and defence, including missile systems, naval and jet fighter technology, tactical communications and data security.
The Paris-based defence group expressed shock at the killing, and said the victim’s colleague “was immediately supported by the relevant authorities and Thales management on the spot.”
The company said a team “has been sent to the scene and is in constant contact with the relevant local authorities and the diplomatic corps.” — NNN-AGENCIES
