This 12-year-old boy who was out running errands for his mother has died in a terrorist attack that targeted Colombian police.

A second youngster was also killed in the incident and 35 people, including seven children, were injured.

The 12-year-old boy has been named as Daniel Duque, and he died after sustaining fatal injuries during the attack in the Arborizadora Alta neighbourhood, in Ciudad Bolivar, a locality in the Capital District of the Colombian capital Bogota, on the night of Saturday, 26th March.

The attack, during which an explosive device detonated, took place at a police station in Arborizadora Alta and was targeted at police officers, according to local media.

But two children, including Daniel, have now died after sustaining fatal injuries, with seven youngsters also wounded in the incident, which has been described as a terrorist attack.

The attack was first reported as having claimed only Daniel’s life, but a second child is now reported to have died. The explosion reportedly injured 35 people and affected 60 nearby homes.

Locals have called for attacks in which civilians are caught up to cease. About 400 people are reported to have gathered to mourn Daniel’s death with balloons and candles.

There have reportedly been calls for the police station, which is so badly damaged that it will have to be pulled down and rebuilt from scratch, to be named after him.

The young boy’s father, Wilmer Duque, said: “He was a good boy. The truth is that he was an excellent boy and both the community and the school where he studied can say so.

“Unfortunately, because of this criminal gang, my son has lost his life. God willing, the authorities will catch the criminals who took my son’s life and destroyed my home.”

The Major General of the Bogota Metropolitan Police, Eliecer Camacho, reportedly told local radio: “What we do observe in the videos is that a person places the briefcase near the CAI [Immediate Attention Command], apparently with the explosives, and leaves the place.

“He activates it remotely. He had the opportunity not to have caused so much damage to citizens, the CAI and the Police, but the rejection is total against these criminals who seek to affect the institution and the community in general.”

He added: “We have some investigations underway against these criminal groups that affected the police station and the tranquility of the citizens of the area. It is better that we be careful with the investigations in order to find the criminals.”

This is the second attack to occur in Ciudad Bolivar so far this month, after an explosive device was reportedly detonated on the night of Saturday, 5th March, near a police station in the Sierra Morena neighbourhood, in Bogota.

Police investigations are ongoing.