Santo Domingo.- The National Police said Friday the shooting in which five people died Thursday night took place after Barbara Hernandez, who allegedly hid US$400,000 stolen from the company UPS, refused to turn it over to the officers who went to her house.

Police spokesman Nelson Guerrero said Hernandez’s nephew had allegedly given her the money after the robbery, and when the police went to her residence in Boca Chica’s La Caleta sector, she refused to turn it over and began to shout that it was a holdup, which set off a shootout with civilians in the area leaving five dead, including Police lieutenant colonel, Galis Cordero.

"The Police officers went to the place to recover the money which had been taken. When they arrived at the place they called the lady, colonel Galis identified himself as a Police officer and asked her to turn over the money which had been deposited by her nephew to be kept. She went into the house, locked the doors and immediately began to call by telephone. The officer repeated that they were police and that she had to talk with them," Guerrero said

He added that to no avail the officers even showed Hernandez her nephew to prove their identity.