Police Officer Accidentally Shot; Baby Survives

A baby is safe and healthy after its mother, a 29-year-old police officer, was accidentally shot by her partner inside a police precinct in Argentina. The incident occurred on the morning of September 14 when Marian Jofré and her partner, Cristian Albarracín, were performing administrative duties at the 34th Precinct in La Bebida, located in the western province of San Juan. According to the local prosecutor’s office, Albarracín was handling his service weapon when it accidentally discharged, striking Jofré in the back. Jofré, who was six months pregnant at the time, received treatment on the scene before being rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition. She has an 8-year-old daughter and has been a police officer for three years. Following her transfer to another medical facility, she underwent surgery on September 17 to remove the bullet. Reports indicate that she was discharged from the hospital the day after the operation and was never at risk of losing her pregnancy. The gender of the baby and the delivery date remain unknown. Jofré’s cousin, Carla Barman, expressed criticism towards authorities for not providing timely information to the family, stating that they were left uninformed for over eight hours after the shooting. "The media were already saying she was stable, even though we knew nothing," Barman told Telesol Diario. Albarracín was questioned by the prosecutor’s office and explained that he had loaned his weapon to another officer during a chase of a crime suspect. He was not aware that the weapon was still loaded when it was returned to him. Investigators believe the shooting was accidental. Albarracín was released the same day Jofré underwent surgery and has been charged with negligent injury and failure to perform the duties of a public official. His current role within the police department is unclear. A judge has given prosecutors eight months to complete the criminal investigation and ordered Albarracín to report monthly to a local precinct. He is also required to seek approval before traveling outside Argentina and is prohibited from obstructing the investigation.