At least 16 people killed in two attacks in northern Honduras | Crime News
Two Incidents of Gun Violence in Honduras Result in 16 Fatalities
Published May 21, 2026
Two separate incidents of gun violence in Honduras have left at least 16 people dead, exacerbating concerns over ongoing violence in the Central American nation.
The first incident occurred Thursday on a remote palm farm in Rigores, located in the municipality of Trujillo in northern Honduras. National Police spokesperson Edgardo Barahona reported that as many as 10 workers were shot at the site, and the death toll may rise as investigations continue. Family members reportedly arrived at the scene to recover the bodies before law enforcement could secure the area.
Local media reported that gunmen fired indiscriminately at laborers, including those who had gathered at a nearby church. Graphic images circulated on social media showed victims’ bodies, some still clad in work boots, scattered on the ground. Among the deceased were three sisters, according to preliminary reports.
Authorities have yet to determine a motive for the attack, but northern Honduras has experienced persistent agrarian conflicts. Human rights advocates warn that armed groups often forcibly displace farmers from fertile land, leading to violent incidents.
In response to the shooting, Hector Benjamin Valerio Ardon, head of Honduras’s Joint Staff of the Armed Forces, announced that military personnel would provide logistical support to aid in the efforts to apprehend those responsible.
A second deadly incident occurred in the Cortés department, near the Guatemala border, where police officers from the capital, Tegucigalpa, were conducting an anti-gang operation in Omoa. The officers reportedly faced an ambush while searching a building for suspects, resulting in the deaths of six officers, including deputy commissioner Lester Amador. Members of the Anti-Maras, Gangs and Organised Crime Police Directorate (DIPAMPCO) were among the casualties. Reports suggest that suspects may have also been killed or injured during the confrontation.
Following the attacks, the National Police issued a statement vowing immediate intervention in the affected areas. The agency pledged to act decisively to apprehend those responsible, protect vulnerable communities, and ensure justice for victims.
Honduras had been under a state of emergency aimed at curbing crime since 2022. Critics of the measures argued that they undermined civil liberties and empowered law enforcement, allowing for potential human rights abuses. The emergency decree was lifted in January with the inauguration of President Nasry “Tito” Asfura, a supporter of former U.S. President Donald Trump’s security policies in Latin America.
