Pregnant Officer and Baby Safe After Partner's Accidental Shooting in Argentina

A pregnant Argentine police officer is safe and recovering after her partner accidentally shot her in the back inside a police precinct in San Juan. The incident occurred on September 14 as Officer Marian Jofré and her partner, Cristian Albarracín, were handling administrative tasks.

Albarracín was reportedly handling his service weapon when it discharged, striking Jofré. The 29-year-old officer, who is six months pregnant, was initially treated at the scene before being transported to a local hospital in critical condition. She was later moved to another facility where she underwent surgery on September 17 to remove the bullet.

Local news reports indicated that Jofré was discharged from the hospital the day after her surgery and that her pregnancy was never at risk. The gender of the baby and the expected delivery date are not yet known.

Albarracín told investigators that he had loaned his service weapon to another officer during the pursuit of a suspect. He stated he was unaware the weapon was still loaded when it was returned to him at the police station. Authorities have maintained that the shooting was accidental from the outset.

Following the incident, Albarracín was taken in for questioning and was released the same day Jofré had her surgery. He has been charged with negligent injury and failure to perform the duties of a public official. A judge has granted prosecutors eight months to complete their criminal investigation. Albarracín is required to report to a local precinct monthly, seek approval for any travel outside Argentina, and is prohibited from obstructing the investigation.

Jofré's cousin, Carla Barman, expressed frustration with the lack of immediate information provided to the family by authorities in the hours following the shooting, noting that media reports were sometimes contradictory.