Partygoers rushed to escape a police raid through a single door.
August 23, 2020, 3:13 PM
3 min read
Share to FacebookShare to TwitterEmail this articleThirteen people were killed in a stampede while trying to flee an illegal nightclub party in Peru raided by police on Saturday night, officials said.
There were approximately 120 people at the Thomas Restobar nightclub in Los Olivos, just north of Lima, when police arrived to the scene.
Neighbors had alerted police about the event.
Partygoers, upon police arrival, rushed to escape through a single door, according to a statement from the Peru Interior Ministry.
Police officers, wearing protective clothing, stand outside a disco in Lima, Peru, Aug. 23, 2020.
Police officers, wearing protective clothing, stand outside a disco in Lima, Peru, Aug. 23, 2020.No tear gas or weapons were fired.
In addition to the 13 killed in the stampede, another six people were injured, including three police officers who were trying to help people who were trapped inside.
Police detained at least 23 people in connection to the incident, the Interior Ministry said.
Police officers stand guard near two bodies outside of a disco in Lima, Peru, Aug. 23, 2020. Officials said over a dozen people died in a stampede at a disco in Peru after a police raid to enforce the country's lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic.
Police officers stand guard near two bodies outside of a disco in Lima, Peru, Aug. 23, 2020. Officials said over a dozen people died in a stampede at a disco in Peru after a police raid to enforce the country's lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic.Mass gatherings are currently illegal in Peru, which is in a state of emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The order is in effect until the end of the month.
The country currently has over 576,000 diagnosed cases -- second to Brazil in South America -- and over 27,200 deaths.
ABC News' Joshua Hoyos contributed to this report.
