Cape Verde police launched a manhunt Wednesday for a shooter who is believed to be responsible for killing 11 people at a military barracks on Tuesday.
Government reports indicate that a former soldier is suspected of being behind the shooting, which left eight soldiers and three civilians - including two Spanish nationals - dead.
"A soldier assigned to the military team itself is missing, and there are strong indications that he was responsible in the events," said Minister Paulo Rocha, adding that the victims were 20 to 51 years old.
Rocha stated that the shooting took place at a telecommunications site at Monte Tchota, a forested area on Santiago island about 17 miles north of the capital, Praia. The Spanish victims had been doing repairs there and were under the protection of soldiers stationed at the Monte Tchota barracks.
Authorities became aware of the shootings after a police officer found the bodies around noon local time at the barracks. Eight Kalashnikovs and ammunition were reported missing, but they were later found in an abandoned car in Praia's Cittadella neighborhood and recovered.
In light of the shooting, President Jorge Carlos Fonseca announced that he would be cancelling his trip to one of the Cape Verde's 10 islands so he could follow the investigation. He said in his statement that the investigation is proceeding "at a good and positive" rate.
This is the latest incident to occur on the former Portugese colony that has been plagued by shootings in the past. While it has been praised by international organizations for its commitment to democracy and development, it has also been targeted by international drug rings as a destination for smuggling cocaine.
Law enforcement's attempts to combat gangs smuggling Latin American cocaine to Europe has led to a series of reprisal shootings. For example, police seized 280kg of cocaine from a yacht last week, and officials have linked two recent attacks on public figures to the drugs trade.
With all this in mind, officials say that they believe this latest shooting isn't an attack against the government and is simply an isolated incident fueled by personal motivations.
