Córdoba: an 18-year-old young woman was shot to steal her cellphone and remains in serious condition

A new victim of the insecurity plaguing the city of Córdoba is fighting for her life after a violent assault. Agustina González, a young woman of just 18 years, was shot in the left intercostal area after a criminal approached her to steal her cellphone. The brutal incident occurred around 9 PM on Wednesday, in the heart of the Alto Alberdi neighborhood, an area identified by residents as a constant hotspot for robberies and drug sales.

The young woman was accompanied by two friends, returning from shopping at a grocery store, when they were surprised by an armed criminal at the intersection of Doctor Juan F. Cafferata and Igualdad streets. According to Fernando González, the victim's father, "he robbed the girls and my daughter, I think out of nerves, struggled. This scoundrel shot her three times."

Two of the bullets did not hit her, but the third pierced her abdomen, severely damaging her stomach and spleen. "She has a tube, she's conscious, although with back pain. We went to see her today: she's a bit better overall," her father explained in statements.

After the attack, and due to the delay in the ambulance's arrival, Agustina was transported in a patrol car to the National Clinics Hospital, where she underwent surgery for four intense hours. Her condition is critical.

The crime scene was desolate. "I was working. I saw what happened when I returned and passed by the place. There was blood on the sidewalk, patrol cars, and even a helicopter flying over, but I never thought it was related to my daughter. I found out later," confessed Fernando, broken by the pain.

The police operation deployed in the early morning was supervised by Córdoba's Security Minister, the Peronist Juan Pablo Quinteros, accompanied by the General Director of Capital Security, Iván Rey. However, the criticisms were quick to arrive: "This happened a block and a half from my house. We're tired. Nobody does anything. Every day there are robberies and they sell drugs on the corner," the father denounced.

The case is in the hands of the District No. 1 Instruction Prosecutor, Guillermo González, who is leading the investigation. The first clues indicate that the perpetrator of the attack is a man about 40 years old, who fled toward Bajo Alberdi. It is presumed that he resides in the area, but so far there are no arrests. "I hope they catch him," expressed Fernando, while he repeats with impotence: "This scoundrel shot her three times, he wanted to kill her."

Another recent incident

Just days before, a 17-year-old teenager was brutally assaulted in the town of Alta Gracia, also in the province of Córdoba. The young man, who was waiting for his father outside a nightclub in the Portal del Sol neighborhood, was assaulted and beaten by at least three criminals. Subsequently, a second group of people attacked him again, for no apparent reason.

The teenager was assisted by a witness and taken by his father to a clinic, where CT scans were performed that ruled out serious injuries. However, the psychological impact and physical violence marked another point in the long list of Córdoba victims. So far, the investigation has not identified the strikers, and it is not ruled out that both attacks were related. The justice system is investigating, but the perpetrators remain free.