Chilean police resign over shooting of indigenous youth

SANTIAGO, Chile – Two senior police officials have resigned in Chile after the discovery that officers destroyed video showing the shooting of a young indigenous man whose death set off large protests.

Interior Minister Andres Chadwick said via Twitter on Sunday that destruction of the memory card from a monitoring camera was “unacceptable.” He said Gen. Mauro Victoriano and Col. Ivan Contreras Figueroa and four members of special forces unit resigned.

Thousands of people attended Saturday’s funeral of 24-year-old Camilo Catrillanca, who was shot Wednesday. Police said they fired while pursuing people who stole three vehicles. Catrillanca’s family said he was shot in the back while riding on a tractor.

Indigenous activists accuse the government of using heavy-handed tactics against the Mapuches, some of whom have been agitating for greater land rights.