On a Friday afternoon in Corozal, a notable police operation transpired. Puerto Rico Authorities had been on the hunt for 22-year-old fugitive Wilfredo ‘Bemba’ Bonilla David, a man of particular interest to law enforcement due to his alleged involvement in several criminal activities. ‘Bemba,’ as he is infamously known, came under fire when he discharged his weapon at officers intent on apprehending him. The standoff ended with Bonilla David shot twice by police.
Bonilla David, notoriously elusive, was among the most wanted by law enforcement. He was a key suspect in two homicides, an array of carjackings, and a multitude of assaults, according to police reports. The man’s criminal history painted an unsettling picture of escalating violence and brazen defiance of the law.
The confrontation happened around 5:00 PM, as police from the Puerto Rican Stolen Vehicles unit were set to investigate a home in Corozal’s urban zone. The alleged criminal emerged, brandishing a firearm and shooting at the officers. The police responded with force, wounding Bonilla David with two bullets. Following his apprehension, the injured suspect was rushed to the Medical Center in Río Piedras. It was understood that federal authorities would later assume custody.
Upon searching the premises, law enforcement seized a collection of weapons and clothing. This house served as a hideout for the wanted man, who was sought after by various law enforcement units, including arrest and intelligence agents and the CIC of Aibonito, Caguas, and Ponce.
‘Bemba’ is believed to be linked to a double homicide that unfolded at a grocery store in Coamo’s Zambrana neighborhood at 7:10 AM on May 10. One of the victims of this grisly crime was a 53-year-old housewife who was simply there to purchase bread.
In addition to murder, Bonilla David’s alleged criminal repertoire includes carjackings in Peñuelas and Caguas and a robbery at a pawn shop in Vega Baja. As if the list wasn’t incriminating enough, an arrest warrant had been issued by Judge Marieli Paradiso of the Aibonito Court. ‘Bemba’ was accused of tampering with his electronic monitoring device on April 3 and was slapped with a hefty $600,000 bail.
Police sources confirm that from the day of his escape, Coamo saw an uptick in criminal activities. ‘Bemba,’ a persona non grata in Coamo, was believed to be hiding there. However, his connections in Ponce and Cayey facilitated his evasion, as his acquaintances offered him shelter.
His nefarious resume further includes injuring guards at the Ponce Social Treatment Center, from which he made a daring escape in 2020. Judge Marilinda Aparicio oversaw the case. Bonilla David didn’t learn from his past; after his re-arrest, he once again eluded authorities by severing his electronic monitoring device and was implicated in several car thefts across Peñuelas, Santa Isabel, Caguas, and Cayey.