The National Police captured Joshua Andrés Ruiz Batista, alias “Flapy,” one of the most wanted for attempted homicide, during an operation in the Puente del Rey sector, in the corregimiento of Parque Lefevre.
The subject was intercepted while traveling in an armored truck, an element that caught the attention of the authorities and is part of the evidence gathered in the case.
According to the police report, the apprehension occurred at a checkpoint, where units detected a suspicious vehicle and proceeded to check its occupants.
During the inspection, the individual presented a document that did not belong to him, which allowed to later confirm his identity as one of those required by the justice system for crimes against life and personal integrity.
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The authorities also located several relevant clues inside the vehicle, including a
satellite radio, a router, a firearm supplier with ammunition, and a passport, elements that were made available to the Public Ministry to strengthen the ongoing investigation.
During the verification, the detainee presented a document that did not belong to him. (Illustrative Image Infobae)
The detainee is wanted for an incident that occurred on
June 23, 2021, on Ernesto T. Lefevre Avenue, where two people were victims of
an attempted homicide.
This case adds to a series of
recent operations carried out by the National Police and the Public Ministry, which have led to the capture of several suspects linked to violent crimes in different parts of the country.
In the corregimiento of Ernesto Córdoba Campos, for example, a man wanted for
attempted murder was apprehended after being identified as the alleged perpetrator of a shooting that occurred on
April 12, 2026, in which the victim
was seriously injured.
Similarly, in San Miguelito, two people were captured for their alleged connection to an
armed attack against a police unit, registered on April 25 in the Valle de Urracá sector. Among those arrested is alias
“Estrellita”, 27 years old, as well as another implicated person identified as
“Josefa”, both placed at the orders of the Homicide Prosecutor’s Office for their prosecution. A man was apprehended in Ernesto Córdoba Campos for a shooting attack that occurred in April 2026. Taken from the National Police
In parallel, the Attorney General’s Office of the Nation achieved the
provisional detention of a man for attempted homicide and attempted femicide in Panama Oeste, in a case that occurred on May 1 in the La Alameda sector, in Arraiján. According to the investigation,
the accused entered a residence and attempted to cause the death of two people, who were seriously injured.
These cases occur in a context where official figures reflect the persistence of violence. According to the Public Ministry’s report,
between January and March 2026, 131 homicide victims were recorded nationwide, with March being the most violent month with
53 cases, followed by January with 42 and February with 36.
The regional analysis shows that the province of Panama concentrates the largest number of victims with
53 homicides, followed by San Miguelito with 26 and Panama Oeste with 17, which shows the pressure faced by these areas in terms of security.
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Furthermore, the report indicates that
94% of the victims were men, while the use of firearms predominates in
84% of the cases, establishing itself as the main instrument in these crimes. Between January and March 2026, Panama recorded 131 homicides, with the province of Panama concentrating the majority of the cases, according to data from the Public Ministry. (Illustrative Image Infobae)
Authorities have intensified operations and checkpoints in different areas of the country as part of the strategy of
Focalized Territorial Control Intervention, with the aim of locating people wanted for serious crimes and reducing violence rates. The capture of
alias “Flapy” is part of these actions, which seek to dismantle structures linked to criminal acts.
