Off-duty prison guard assassinated in armed attack in Girón, Colombia

The National Penitentiary and Prison Institute (INPEC) has confirmed the killing of Diego Acevedo Garzón, a guard assigned to the ERON (Regional Office of the National Penitentiary Institute), in the municipality of Girón. The attack occurred on October 15, 2026, prompting an official statement from the institution.

INPEC expressed its rejection of the violence and extended solidarity to Acevedo Garzón's family and colleagues. The statement emphasized that violence cannot become a part of daily life for those who serve the country. The killing has highlighted ongoing concerns about the safety of prison personnel in the region, with calls from some quarters for immediate measures to reduce risks faced by staff.

• The Ambush: On the night of Wednesday, October 14, 2026, Acevedo was off-duty and working at Sabor Argentino, a popular fast-food restaurant he had co-founded with his family in the Santa Cruz neighborhood of Girón, Santander. Hitmen arriving on a motorcycle surprised and shot him multiple times inside his establishment.
• The Rescue Attempt: Following the attack, local neighbors, employees, and police officers desperately placed him in the back of a pickup truck. They attempted to resuscitate him during an emergency transport to the Hospital Universitario de Santander, but he succumbed to his wounds before arrival.
• Motives & Threat Context: While an investigation by the Bucaramanga Metropolitan Police is ongoing, preliminary evidence links the murder to a potential "plan pistola" (targeted campaign against law enforcement).

Acevedo, an 18-year veteran of the prison system assigned to the Palogordo Prison, had reportedly been receiving threats for two months prior to his death.

The attack has significantly heightened security alarms across the department, leading Santander Governor Juvenal Díaz to convene an emergency metropolitan security council.