Dominican Republic minister shot dead in his OFFICE during weekly meeting, before cops swarm building

THE Dominican Republic’s minister of the environment and natural resources was shot dead in his office during a weekly meeting. Orlando Jorge Mera, 55, was in his office in Santo Domingo when a gunman burst into the meeting and killed the minister. TwitterThe Minister of the Environment of the Dominican Republic was shot dead in his office[/caption] EPAPolice swarmed the minister’s office, in Santo Domingo[/caption] Authorities said he was shot by Miguel Cruz, who has been detained. Police and emergency officials swarmed the office of the Environment and Natural Resources Ministry in the capital and barred entry to it as mourners gathered nearby. According to local media, witnesses said they heard a total of seven shots and the shooter, who entered the room alone, managed to escape afterwards. Jorge’s office is located on the fourth floor of a building that also houses the Ministry of Tourism. READ MORE ON WORLD NEWS VIOLATION Abramovich charged with exporting 2 US-made planes to Russia WITHOUT licence DOOMSDAY EXPRESS China's bullet train missile launcher plan targets '1,000 nukes' on West The Environment Ministry tweeted: “We are dismayed by the situation presented on Monday morning. “So far we have no details of what happened.” The office of President Luis Abinader said: “We express our deepest condolences”. Bartolom Pujals, executive director of the government’s Cabinet of Innovation, wrote that he lamented the killing. “His death is a tragedy,” he said. Most read in The Sun BENEFIT BLOW Thousands on Universal Credit WON’T get £650 payment due to loophole FIRST LOVE Love Island girls gobsmacked as Laura Whitmore reveals huge show twist READ ONE'S LIPS Lip reader reveals what shocked Queen said to George on balcony ENDERS IN TEARS EastEnders star in tears after being axed and will be killed off from soap SADI OH NO Mane hints he could SNUB Bayern to join boyhood club Marseille in shock twist GAN-GAN'S A GAS George & Charlotte's sweet reaction to Queen pulling sandwich from handbag “We Dominicans have to come together to achieve a pact for peace and peaceful coexistence. No more violence.” Jorge was an attorney and a founding member of the Modern Revolutionary party. He was appointed minister of the environment and natural resources in August 2020. TwitterThe minister was a founding member of the Modern Revolutionary party[/caption] We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun news desk? Email us at exclusive@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4104. You can WhatsApp us on 07423 720 250. We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours Click here to get The Sun newspaper delivered for FREE for the next six weeks.