Few Travel Into Juarez As Drug Violence Escalates
EL PASO — Deadly violence continues across the border in Juarez as authorities find five more bodies since midnight Friday.
Officials said the bodies of five men were found in various locations throughout the city.
All five of the men were shot and killed, investigators add. Two were found laying in the street while three were found in the trunks of various cars.
As drug-related violence continues to escalate, it appears fewer people are crossing the border into Juarez. The Paso del Norte Bridge — usually packed with vehicles and pedestrians crossing into Mexico — wasnearly emptySaturday afternoon.
Most of the people headed to Juarez said they had no choice; they live there. They said the situation is so intense, they fear for their lives.
“I’m very scared right now,” said Pablo Ortiz, “I’m not going to go out because I’m afraid I’ll get shot … I prefer to stay home than to go out and have fun.”
Friday, the bodies of five men were found tied up and wrapped up in blankets in an empty lot near the intersection of Vicente Guerrero and Jaime Bermudez. The crime scene was just across the river from Ascarate Park in the Lower Valley.
Investigators say two of the bodies were decapitated. They also found two heads with the bodies, but were not able to confirm if they belonged to the decapitate bodies. A note left with bodies implied they were killed for joining the Sinaloa Cartel.
In a separate incident, police found the burned bodies of three men inside a car. One was in the back seat and two others were in the trunk of the car.
