A Colombian teacher has died after she was gunned down in front of 400 students during a sports class.

Victim Sandra Patricia Montenegro – a physical education teacher – died in an intensive care unit three days after the shooting.

She had been targeted by gunmen in front of 400 students aged around 10 years old while she was taking a PE class.

The horrific execution happened on a football pitch in Guanabanal, Palmira municipality, Valle del Cauca Department, western Colombia, according to local media reports.

Police are offering a reward of COP 5 million (GBP 975) to anyone who can provide information leading to the killers’ arrests, according to Palmira Security Secretary Rodrigo Cepeda.

The teacher was shot five times by the gunmen before she was taken to hospital, where she died three days later, on Tuesday afternoon (6th September).

Authorities are reportedly investigating the murder as a potential femicide but are not ruling out the possibility that it was related to her leadership work in the community.

Sandra had received death threats before the attack, which were brought to the attention of authorities at the time, said her family.

Local residents said she had always shown concern about the problems facing Guanabanal.

The Colombian Teachers’ Union (FECODE) and Valle del Cauca Governor Clara Luz Roldan condemned the killing.

Roldan said: “It hurts a lot that her life has been extinguished like this.

“All the weight of the law for the cowards who took her life in front of her students.”