Published: September 15, 2018 10:53:15 | Updated: September 16, 2018 14:45:28
Gunmen with rifles and pistols killed three people on Friday and injured at least seven in a tourist plaza in downtown Mexico City, police said, adding that they were chasing three men dressed as mariachi musicians who fled on motorbikes.
Mexico City police said in a statement the victims were killed at an intersection on the edge of Plaza Garibaldi, a major tourist destination packed with mariachi bars.
Videos from the scene on social media and television showed a heavy police presence, with the site of the attack cordoned off, but dozens of people were still hanging out nearby.
After years of keeping a lid on the worst violent crime that has plagued Mexico, the capital has seen a surge in homicides since 2014 to record levels, reports Reuters.
Police say much of the crime stems from retail drug dealing by violent gangs, although the government admits that at least one of these has links to a major national trafficking group, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.
Plaza Garibaldi borders one of Mexico City’s most notorious neighbourhoods, Tepito, home to La Union gang that police blame for rising drug dealing in the capital.
In August, police arrested the presumed leader of the gang, Roberto Moyado Esparza “El Betito”. Since then, the Tepito neighbourhood has suffered a wave of violence, including several killings.
Climate change: Floods predicted to displace 50m people a year
Oxfam says poor nations pay price for 'climate chaos'
India holds Kashmir polls despite lockdown, boycott
Handke, Tokarczuk win Nobel prizes for literature
Trump says he could meet with Iranian President Rouhani
Over 820m people suffer from hunger globally: UN report
BB criticised for ‘sexist’ job circular
Santos plans to sell all stakes to KrisEnergy
BKB loses over Tk 1.1 million to theft in Cumilla
Rohingya 'genocide': Myanmar faces hearings at The Hague
'Automation cutting jobs, creating unemployment problem'
Foreigners in BD to get salary in FC accounts
Move to revamp BD missions abroad to spur export earnings
Huge onion imported but price remains prohibitive
Suu Kyi receives waves of support ahead of genocide case
Import taxes on seeds of spices go
© 2017 - All Rights with The Financial Express