Death Toll In Juarez Ambush Rises To 9
Two more people have died after an ambush in Juarez that initially claimed the lives of six police officers and one civilian, raising the death toll to nine.
Authorities in Juarez report another federal police officer and another civilian died from gunshot wounds sustained in the ambush.
One of the civilians was a 17-year-old boy who authorities say was an innocent bystander. Over the weekend, the enforcement arm of the Juarez cartel, La Linea, took responsibility for the murders.
ABC-7 has learned a message for federal police commanders appeared on a wall in downtown Juarez. The message was allegedly signed by La Linea, saying the same fate awaits anyone who works for El Chapo Guzman and the Sinaloa cartel.
The Sinaloa cartel has waged war on the Juarez cartel for control of the drug trade in Juarez.
Stay with ABC-7 for any new information on this story.
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The Juarez Public Safety Department announced Friday afternoon that members of the federal police were attacked by a group of gunmen as they patrolled Juarez, resulting in the deaths of six law enforcement officers and one civilian.
The attack happened at the corner of Durango and Santiago Troncoso streets in south Juarez. Two police units – one federal, one municipal – were apparently stopped by a vendor who was requesting help. At that time, several armed men opened fire on the uniformed officers from behind and the side of the officers and then fled in a gray dodge Durango.
Four federal police officers killed, one female municipal officer killed, and a 17 year-old boy died at the scene. One federal police officer died upon arrival at a hospital.
The federal officers fired back and wounded at least one of the attackers.
Witnesses told ABC-7 they heard more than 100 gunshots during the shootout.
Authorities are asking Juarez residents to report any information they might have to police.
These acts may be in response to the key arrests and seizures made by federal police in the last few hours, especially the arrests of eight people Thursday, according to the Public Safety Dept. They had an AK-47 and an UZI, ammunition, drugs (cocaine and marijuana), a stolen truck. All this was reported in the media this morning. Five of the eight detainees are minors.
So far, federal police have located two of the vehicles used by the attackers. The hunt for the other suspects continues as there is an effort to intimidate law enforcement in Juarez.
Throughout the afternoon, people have been playing narco-corridos – songs that glorify the drug trade – on police scanners in hopes of continuing the intimidation.
“In light of these events, the Public Safety Dept. and the Federal Police maintain their commitment to protect and serve the community, and remain firm in their fight against crime in order to recover the country that is ours,” the Juarez Public Safety Dept. said in a news release.
