The elderly American lawyer accused of gunning down two climate protesters in Panama was previously arrested for illegally possessing weapons, including an AK-47 and M16 — as a court was told that he said “This ends here” before this week’s deadly caught-on-camera confrontation.
Kenneth Darlington, 77, was seen Tuesday casually approaching a group of demonstrators blocking the Pan-American highway in the Chame sector, in protest of a proposed mining contract for a Canadian company.
He was filmed waving his gun around and began waving his finger while arguing with the demonstrators — before ultimately firing, according to footage and police.
Seeing the protest, Darlington had allegedly earlier told the people he was traveling with, “This ends today,” according to local outlet TVN.
Then, when he got back into the car following the fatal shooting, Darlington also allegedly told a woman he was with — believed to be his girlfriend — “Let’s go,” a Panamanian court heard Wednesday.
But she replied, “We’re not leaving,” and called National Police agents, who stopped the car and seized Darlington’s gun, TVN reports
The American attorney was later seen being cuffed and led to a squad car.
The altercation reportedly began when Darlington, apparently frustrated with the blockade the group caused, got out of his vehicle and confronted the protesters.
He asked them who the leader of the demonstration was, and was told by some teachers in the group that there were no leaders.
Darlington then allegedly replied, “I don’t want to talk to women. I want to talk to men,” TVN reports.
A few men at the scene then approached him and tried to calm him down, when the argument began.
A few men at the scene then approached him and tried to calm him down, a Panamanian court heard Wednesday afternoon.
Footage from the shooting showed what happened during that confrontation.
One of the demonstrators could be heard saying, “Why don’t you shoot?” while others shouted at Darlington, “Are you going to kill someone?” to which he replied, “Do you want to be the first?”
At that point, Darlington opened fire, according to the footage and court testimony.
The first victim — seen in the footage wearing a black T-shirt, blue hat, and carrying a flag — fell to the ground immediately, the footage shows
As another man in red backs away, Darlington could be seen opening fire again — hitting another man in a black T-shirt, who could be seen holding his shoulder, grimacing in pain, and staggering over to the side of the road, where he falls down.
Other footage showed people standing around bodies in the road.
Abdiel Díaz died at the scene, the Times of London reports.
The other victim, Iván Rodgriguez, was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Meanwhile, when Darlington got back into his car, it was reported, that another passenger asked him, “Are you aware of what has happened?”
He then replied, “Yes, I killed one and shot another,” the Panamanian court heard.
Darlington was previously apprehended in 2005 after local authorities found weapons, including the AK-47 and an M16, in his Panama City apartment, according to the Daily Mail
He claimed in court that the weapons were simply part of a collection, and he was acquitted of illegal possession of a firearm, the report said.
The attorney with dual American-Panamanian citizenship is now facing charges of murder and illegal possession of a gun, local outlet TVN reports.
But he may avoid jail time again, and instead be sentenced to house arrest, due to his elderly age — despite his apparent nonchalance about the shooting, local reports indicate.