A deadly confrontation between law enforcement and a 21-year-old high-profile suspect left the man dead and a tactical police officer injured during a court-ordered raid in Santiago province, Dominican Republic, according to preliminary statements from the National Police. The incident unfolded shortly after 10:40 p.m. on Imbert Avenue in the Cuesta Colorada sector, where combined teams from the Criminal Investigations Directorate (Dicrim) and the department’s elite SWAT unit arrived to execute search and arrest warrant No. 2026-AJ0088600.
As officers reached the target location, they came under immediate gunfire from the suspect, identified as Isaac de Jesús Fernández Reyes, who went by the alias “Guccito”. Law enforcement members returned fire to repel the attack, sparking a full-scale shootout at the scene. In the exchange of gunfire, Corporal Rafael Gómez de la Cruz, a serving member of the SWAT tactical unit, was struck by a bullet in his left hand. The injury resulted in an open fracture, and the wounded officer was quickly evacuated to a local medical facility for urgent surgical and clinical care. As of the preliminary report, no further update has been released on his current condition.
Fernández Reyes, the prime target of the operation, was struck by multiple gunshots during the confrontation and was pronounced dead at the scene. His remains were transferred to the National Institute of Forensic Sciences (INACIF) to undergo official autopsy and forensic processing, standard procedure for all law enforcement-related fatal incidents.
Following the conclusion of the shootout, forensic specialists from the Scientific Police carried out a full evidence processing sweep of the site. Investigators recovered a 9mm Glock pistol, which authorities say was the weapon Fernández Reyes used to fire on responding officers, along with a high-capacity 30-round ammunition magazine, several firearm accessories, a personal cell phone, and multiple spent bullet casings from the scene. All collected evidence has been logged for the ongoing official investigation into the incident.
A background check run through the National Police’s Criminological Consultation System revealed Fernández Reyes had an extensive criminal history: he had five prior active records linked to multiple robbery and homicide cases, a standing court order barring him from leaving the country, and four open pending judicial cases against him at the time of the raid.
The National Police has not yet announced any additional updates related to the investigation, including a full review of the use of force in the incident, which is standard protocol for fatal confrontations involving law enforcement.