A retired lawyer has shot dead two climate change protesters after they blocked the middle of the road, it has been reported.
Kenneth Darlington was dragged before judges after firing lethal shots at protesters in the town of La Espiga, Panama.
The 77-year-old was charged with murder and illegal possession of a gun, Eliecer Plicett – a lawyer for the two victims – said.
In footage from the incident, Darlington was seen emerging in front of photographers and TV crews and walking up to a roadblock on a section of the Pan-American Highway – around 55 miles west of Panama City.
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According to TVN Noticias, the roadblock has been in place for three weeks as campaigners protest against the Panamanian government’s vow to run Central America’s biggest open-pit copper mine for another two decades.
Darlington told passengers in his car that “this ends today” before walking up to the activists.
He then took a handgun out of his pocket and started arguing with the protestors, waving the gun as he did.
In the background, one of the activists then says: “Why don’t you shoot?”
Darlington then opened fire.
His first victim, a teacher called Abdiel Diaz, struck the ground immediately after sustaining a shot.
The second – a fellow teacher named Ivan Rodriguez – was struck in the shoulder and pronounced dead on arrival at the Juan Vegas Mendez clinic.
In the hours after the incident social media footage showed Darlington being handcuffed and taken away.
Darlington, reportedly born in the Panama province of Colon, told the authorities at the scene that he “did not want to talk to women” who were arranging the protestors.
He also injured a third man, TVN reported, who remains in hospital.
Chillingly, the killer then said as he walked away: “That ends that problem.”
Darlington then climbed into the car, and told the passengers: “Let’s go.”
But his girlfriend then handed him into the police, telling him “we are not leaving” as she contacted the authorities.
