A violent episode in the Lima district of Surco has put Pablo Rodríguez Granda, half-brother of Peruvian sports journalist Giancarlo "Flaco" Granda, at the center of controversy after he was accused of brutally beating a 71-year-old security guard. Security camera footage of the attack, broadcast by the television program Arriba mi gente, quickly sparked outrage among neighbors.
The footage shows Rodríguez violently attacking the guard after what began as an argument over a car parked near a garage. What looked at first like a minor dispute quickly turned into a beating that left the older man with injuries to his face and hands.
Dispute over a parked car
According to the owner of the vehicle at the center of the dispute, she had left her car parked in the area for a few minutes after the guard told her she could leave it there briefly. When she came back, she found Rodríguez arguing with the guard and throwing white paint over the windshield and hood of her car. She said Rodríguez told her he never wanted to see her junk of a car there again.
Guard punched and beaten to the ground
The confrontation escalated when the guard tried to reason with Rodríguez. A witness said Rodríguez pushed the man and began punching him repeatedly until he fell, and kept hitting him even after he was on the ground. The witness, who said he watched the scene in shock, said the beating went on for about 15 to 20 seconds before people who were walking nearby or sitting in their cars got out to pull the two men apart.
Neighbors and Giancarlo Granda himself stepped in to stop the assault, according to the report. A second witness said police were called to the scene because the guard was covered in blood, with an injured nose and what appeared to be a cut finger.
Victim identified as Alfredo Echevarría
The guard was identified as Alfredo Echevarría, who had been working as a security guard at the building for less than three months. An ambulance took him to a medical center, where he received treatment before going to file a police complaint against Rodríguez.
Who is Giancarlo "Flaco" Granda
Giancarlo "Flaco" Granda is a well-known Peruvian sports journalist and television commentator recognized for covering football on Peruvian broadcast networks. Surco, where the attack took place, is a residential district in Lima. Granda was reportedly present when neighbors moved to break up the beating, a detail that has helped drive attention to the case.
