At least four Colombian police officers were killed and 42 others injured Saturday morning after a bomb was hurled at a station house in the northern coastal city of Barranquilla, police said.
The attacker, riding on a motorcycle, threw an explosive device at the station in the San Jose neighborhood as officers were preparing to start the workday, according to Fernando Ramos of the Colombian police.
Barranquilla Mayor Alejandro Char and metropolitan police Brig. Gen. Mariano de la Cruz Botero told reporters the attack appeared to be in retaliation for recent operations against local criminal organizations, according to the police department’s official Twitter account.
An arrest has been made, and more are expected, Botero said. Police recovered a radio and notebook linked to the attack.
The metropolitan police posted photos on Twitter of the slain officers, who were identified as Anderson Cano, Fredy de Jesus Lopez, Yosimar Marquez and Freddys de Jesus Echeverria.
Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos condemned the “cowardly attack” via Twitter. He offered his condolences to the families of the dead officers.