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Who was Javier Humberto Ordóñez? How police brutality and his death sparked protests for Colombia Lives Matter

A video soon circulated in which the father of two can be seen pinned to the ground as two officers stood by and subjected him to repetitive electric shocks using tasers

BOGOTA, COLOMBIA: A string of violent anti-police protests have spread across Bogotá, Colombia, after a Colombian father of two died following the use of stun guns by cops despite his pleas for them to stop. The incident took place in the wee hours of Wednesday, September 9, 2020, according to a Bogotá Post report. The report also details how the vigil began outside the Villa Luz police CAI in Engativá and soon boiled over into protests all across the city.

Calling it an example of "unacceptable police brutality" on her Twitter account, Bogota Mayor Claudia López condemned the incident. A translation of his tweet read: "In @Bogota we reject police abuse. I will preside over the Human Rights and District Coexistence table so that together with @PGN_COL @DefensoriaCol, let us achieve a serious reform within the police."

The mayor also said, "We'll offer Javier’s family legal assistance so there is a conviction not only of those directly responsible, but also to see structural reform that prevents and punishes police brutality."

Popular musician J Balvin also chastised the incident. A translation of his tweet read: "He said 'please' so many times while the police knew they were being recorded and ended the life of Javier Ordóñez without mercy. What is wrong with these cops?"

Now, the news of the incident has spread all across the world. Here's what really happened and details about the Colombian father, identified as Javier Humberto Ordóñez.

Who was Javier Humberto Ordóñez?

Javier Humberto Ordóñez, identified as a lawyer, was reportedly drinking alcohol openly on the streets in violation of social distancing rules to curb the spread of coronavirus, according to a Reuters report. A video soon circulated in which Ordóñez could be seen pinned to the ground as two officers stood by and subjected him to repetitive electric shocks using tasers. According to Reuters, he begged them, "Please, no more," but they didn't comply with his requests. 

The same report details that Ordóñez was later taken to a police station. If an account from his friends and family members is to be believed, he was subjected to more abuse there and was later pronounced dead in a hospital. According to Reuters, he was 46. However, there seems to be quite a lot of discrepancy in different reports.

The fact that it was pronounced a "natural death" has irked many citizens and provoked a war against the police's actions. According to a People's Dispatch report, Progressive member of Congress Angela María Robledo wrote "Receiving more than 11 electric shocks, a beating and begging 17 times before dying, is not a natural death, nor a bad proceeding. it is an assassination."

What happened after his death?

According to a Reuters witness, hundreds of protesters gathered outside the police station where he was held and protests erupted as the mob threw trash cans, rocks and sticks to batter the windows. The report details that graffitis were drawn on walls, two police stations were set on fire and three others were attacked in different parts of Bogotá, the national police said. Reports say that CAIs were set alight in Parkway, Techo, Gaitana and Villa Luz as well as a TransMilenio station in Bosa.

A motorcycle was burned during the unrest and violent protests seem to continue in other cities including Medellin, Ibague and Pereira. According to Bogotá Post, riot police ESMAD arrived to tackle the protesters. "Other groups headed to their local police CAIs and by sundown, there were reports of violent and persistent protests throughout the city," the report also read. 

How it started the hashtag #ColombiaLivesMatter

The incident sparked protests on social media as well with the hashtag #ColombiaLivesMatter soon becoming a worldwide trend. "For people from other countries and do not know what is happening in Colombia, I'm going to explain what is happening in this thread," one tweet read and another said, "Hi guys, I need the world to know what's happening in my country: Colombia. Yesterday, a 44 yo man, #JavierOrdonez was KILLED by the police, after begging them to stop TORTURING him with a teaser. Javier was a father, a husband, a friend, a son..."

One tweet read: "#ColombiaLivesMatter #NosEstanMatando #ColombiaEnAlertaRoja In my city a violent police procedure against a civilian who was electrocuted with a taser several times and savagely beaten died hours later, Today Colombia don't trust the law and my city looks like the Apocalypse."

Another said, "#ColombiaLivesMatter a violent police procedure against a civilian who was electrocuted with a taser, a person who was asking them to stop without fighting back against the cops died hours later. Media said “this is a normal police procedure” Today Colombia do not trust the law."

On Wednesday, September 9, morning, the Attorney General of Colombia announced they have opened an investigation on the police officers who participated in the violent arrest.