Post date: Jun 23, 2012 12:32:25 AM
SALTILLO, COAHUILA, MEXICO (JUNE 22, 2012) (VANGUARDIA NEWSPAPER) - At least nine people were killed in a dramatic shootout between suspected gang members and a group of police and soldiers in the drug-ravaged city of Saltillo in the Mexican border state of Coahuila on Friday (June 22).
A dramatic shootout between Mexican authorities and suspected gang members in the drug-ravaged border state of Coahuila leaves nine dead.
According to local newspaper Vanguardia, the daring daylight firefight broke out at about 2pm after gunmen reportedly fired upon a patrol of police and soldiers on duty in the metropolitan area.Local media reported nine people were killed in the shootout, eight gunmen and one civilian caught in the crossfire. Three police were also injured in the attack and reported to be in stable condition in hospital.
Police closed off the crime scene pending investigations into the incident, authorities have not yet linked the assailants to local cartels operating in the area.
The drug-ravaged state of Coahuila is the traditional stamping ground of the brutal Zetas gang.
A wave of killing has claimed some 55,000 lives across Mexico since President Felipe Calderon took office in December 2006 and launched a military-led crackdown against trafficking.