Five young people were shot and killed while talking on a street in a Monterrey neighborhood this afternoon, news sources report.
The attack occurred about 3:00 p.m. when a group of heavily armed men got out of a vehicle, rapidly approached the group and opened fire without a word. Reports indicate that automatic weapons shell casings were found at the bloody scene.
Police and military units quickly arrived to secure the area. Family members rushed to the location, and some were said to be hysterical. The mother of one victim was taken to a local hospital to be treated for shock.
The victims included two cousins, 17 and 18, and three others between the ages of 13 and 15. At least one person was wounded but survived, and there may have been other youthful targets who saw the gunmen approaching and managed to escape. There is no known motive at this hour, nor any suspects.
Monterrey, the capital of northern Nuevo León state, is one of the most deadly cities in all of Mexico. Executions on the street and in very public places are becoming the norm in Monterrey, which is only 100 miles south of the U.S. border. The city lies squarely on the path of major northbound drug routes which are in hot dispute between two of Mexico's most powerful drug cartels, Los Zetas and Cártel del Golfo (Gulf Cartel). A mass street execution in a residential neighborhood left eight young people dead in January. Each victim was shot in the head (http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.com/2012/01/eight-publicly-executed-in-monterrey-nl.html). Authorities believe it was the work of Los Zetas.
In February 2011, two U.S. federal agents on official business were brazenly attacked by a Los Zetas hit squad while driving a government vehicle on a major highway between Monterrey and Mexico City (Los Zetas killer charged in death of U.S. immigration agent: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.com/2011/12/los-zetas-killer-charged-in-death-of-us.html). One agent died at the scene, and the other was gravely wounded. Days later one of the gunmen was captured by the Mexican army. He was extradited to the U.S. in December and is facing murder and other charges in a Washington, D.C. federal court (Los Zetas killer of federal ICE agent makes first U.S. court appearance: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.com/2011/12/los-zetas-accused-killer-makes-his.html).
Very young victims are becoming more and more common in Mexico's 63 month old drug war. Some are said to work for the cartels as messengers or spies, called halcones (http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.com/2012/03/four-boys-13-17-kidnapped-from-school.html). But authorities have not suggested that today's victims in Monterrey were involved with any type of illegal activity.
Top Zeta leader arrested, linked to murder of U.S. ICE agent in 2011: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.com/2012/01/top-zeta-leader-arrested-linked-to-50.html.
Accused Zeta killer of U.S. ICE agent returns to D.C. federal court: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.com/2012/01/accused-zeta-executioner-of-us-ice.html.
Rolling down Mexico Hwy. 57, a door lock design change could have saved a life: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.com/2012/02/rolling-down-mexican-highway-57-door.html.
Boy, 13, brutally executed in Monterrey: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.com/2012/02/boy-13-brutally-executed-in-monterrey.html.
Sicarios execute policeman and four year old daughter: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.com/2011/11/drug-hit-men-execute-policeman-and-his.html
Sicarios execute policeman and 15 year old son: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.com/2011/12/two-executed-in-cancun-and-killers-left.html.
U.S. missionaries murdered in Monterrey: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.com/2012/02/us-missionaries-murdered-in-monterrey.html.
Mass execution on Monterrey street: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.com/2012/01/eight-publicly-executed-in-monterrey-nl.html.
Arson attack against Monterrey casino kills 52: http://mexicogulfreporter-supplement.blogspot.com/2011/11/monterrey-casino-attack-leaves-53-dead.html.
Kid narcos in Mexico: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.com/2012/02/mexican-armed-forces-raid-drug-houses.html
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