A violent attempted robbery escalated into a shootout with a fatal outcome in Ramos Mejía, La Matanza district, where a Buenos Aires provincial police officer killed one of the criminals who tried to rob him as he was heading to work.
The incident occurred on Friday around 8 p.m. at the intersection of Rosales and Fray Cayetano streets. According to police sources, the officer—identified as Diego Méndez, head of the Tactical Operations Group (GTO) of the Don Bosco police station—was driving his Volkswagen T-Cross when he was intercepted by a Peugeot 208.
Two men got out of the Peugeot. One of them brandished a firearm and approached the driver's window with the intention of robbing the car, while his accomplice stood by. Faced with the threat, the officer identified himself as a police officer and drew his regulation 9mm pistol.
The shootout
The situation quickly escalated into an armed confrontation. According to the initial reconstruction, the officer fired at least 13 shots to repel the attack. During the shootout, one of the assailants was shot in the chest and face, fell wounded a few meters away, and attempted to flee, but collapsed on the sidewalk.
The other suspect managed to escape and is being intensely sought by law enforcement.
The sequence was captured by security cameras in the area, and the footage will be key in determining the sequence of events. At the scene, forensic experts recovered spent shell casings that indicate the scale of the gunfight.
The wounded assailant was identified as Marcelo David González, 40, from El Palomar. He was rushed to Güemes Hospital in Haedo, where he underwent surgery, but died hours later from his injuries.
According to sources close to the investigation, González had an extensive criminal record with prior convictions for armed robbery, homicide, illegal possession of firearms, and resisting arrest, among other crimes. In addition, a Bersa .380 caliber pistol was seized from him, which had been reported stolen in June 2025 in connection with a robbery case.
The Peugeot 208 the suspects were traveling in also had an active warrant for its seizure due to auto theft, issued in early March by a police station in the Morón district.
The judicial investigation
The case was assigned to Functional Instruction Unit (UFI) No. 20 of the La Matanza Judicial Department, under the direction of prosecutor Cecilia Pérez, who classified it as “attempted armed robbery.” The prosecutor ordered that the forensic examinations be carried out by personnel from the National Gendarmerie.
As for the police officer, he was unharmed, and so far, no restrictive measures have been taken against him. His actions will be evaluated as part of the investigation to determine if he acted in self-defense.
The incident shocked residents of the area, who reported hearing multiple explosions during the night. Meanwhile, the search for the second suspect continues
