National Geographic reporter shot in Juarez while interviewing drug trafficker

A National Geographic journalist was shot and injured Friday evening while interviewing a drug trafficker in southern Juarez.

Chihuahua State Prosector Jorge Nava, who oversees the northern part of the state, told the press on Saturday that a 40-year-old man, who they say was a drug trafficker, was being interviewed by a National Geographic crew about Juarez drug violence Friday when what appeared to be two women arrived with weapons and opened fire on the group. Nava said the group being interviewed returned fire, with the interview subject dying at the scene while the journalist was shot in the leg and injured.

Nava said law enforcement had previously searched that same house back in April as part of a drug investigation and they found it was a safe house for the Aztecas criminal organization.

The National Geographic reporter was released from hospital Saturday morning and is expected to cross back into El Paso along with their three other team members.

The National Geographic crew was filming a documentary about drug violence in Juarez. They had visited the state prosecutor’s office earlier in the week to run interviews and research into crime statistics in Juarez and how they have evolved since the previous drug war about 10 years ago. The National Geographic crew had not told state authorities their plan to interview criminal elements and did not have additional security the day of the attack, according to Nava.