Cop shot dead inside home in Catbalogan City

Police Staff Sergeant Kirk Walter Lorenzo, 38, in an undated photo. Lorenzo, chief of the Police Community Service in Catbalogan City, Samar, was shot dead inside his home. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — A policeman was shot dead by a still unidentified gunman inside his house in Catbalogan City in Samar, the Police Regional Office-8 said Thursday.

Police Lt. Col. Douglas Antonio Eloja, chief of the Catbalogan City police, said Police Staff Sergeant Kirk Walter Lorenzo, 38, had just arrived home after attending the alumni gathering at the Samar State University when he was shot by the perpetrator.

Lorenzo was assigned at the Police Community Relations (PCR) office of the Catbalogan City police station.

Initial investigation showed that the suspect followed Lorenzo to his house located at Calachuchi St. Barangay Muñoz, Catbalogan City, Samar on Wednesday night.

The suspect shot Lorenzo, who was resting on a sofa, and then managed to escape, police said.

At 3:00 a.m., Thursday, officers of the Catbalogan City Police Station were tipped about the incident by a concerned citizen and rushed to Lorenzo’s house.

Police said Lorenzo was found with a gunshot wound to the head and was rushed to the Samar Provincial Hospital for emergency treatment. Lorenzo was pronounced dead on arrival by an attending physician.

A video taken by a closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera in front of the victim’s house showed only one uspect whose face was hidden by the dark.

Investigators had yet to identify the motive behind the killing. /lzb/muf