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“The Engineer” Doc Profiles
El Salvador’s Only Criminologist, Teenage Killers


July 17, 2014 | Marina Galperina

In 2012, a truce was declared between El Salvador’s deadly MS-13 and 18 Street gangs, but the kidnappings and murders continue. Israel Ticas, the country’s only criminologist, spends his days uncovering and identifying bodies dumped in the countryside. Most of the victims are under 18. The Engineer documentary (from Guerrilla Pictures and WikiLeaks) follows Ticas during his crime scene investigations as he matter-of-factly narrates the morbid realities of life in one of the most dangerous countries in the world.

The film also offers an unprecedented look to the juvenile detention center holding frightfully young MS-13 members, as they detail the torture and murders they committed, as instructed by their leaders.

The Engineer is available for streaming today. See more clips here. Some viewers may find this footage very disturbing.