Three state police officers and a Red Cross paramedic were killed by cartel gunmen dressed in military-style clothing in Guerrero over the weekend.
Three state police officers and a Red Cross paramedic handing out humanitarian aid in Taxco were gunned down by cartel gunmen according to a public security spokesman, Roberto Álvarez Heredia. The attack by approximately 20 shooters also left at least nine others wounded.
The shooting occurred around 10:30 am on Saturday at the town plaza when a group of paramedics and volunteers from the Red Cross began handing out bedding, blankets, and other supplies in preparation for winter. The gunmen arrived in five pickup trucks and immediately opened fire on the team of four police officers in a patrol car. The gunmen directed their attention on the Red Cross staff and citizens waiting for supplies, according to government sources. The attack lasted approximately 25 minutes.
Three police officers and a Red Cross worker identified as Alejandro Garcia died at the scene.
Those wounded included Red Cross volunteers and citizens. A fourth officer escaped unharmed. The cartel gunmen fled with the slain officers’ weapons and ammunition, according to local media. The three police officers were finished off with gunshots to their heads.
The attack resulted in the launch of a large police and military operation to locate the gunmen. The culprits remain at large as of this report.
The wounded were transported to a local hospital and all are expected to survive, according to San Juan Tenería Mayor Marcos Efren Parra Gomez.
A cell phone video depicts a bloodied Red Cross worker being attended to by a colleague as gunfire can be heard in the background.
Guerrero is one of the most violent areas in Mexico. A recent government report indicates there are a total of 21 cartels or criminal groups operating in the state.
Robert Arce is a retired Phoenix Police detective with extensive experience working Mexican organized crime and street gangs. Arce has worked in the Balkans, Iraq, Haiti, and recently completed a three-year assignment in Monterrey, Mexico, working out of the Consulate for the United States Department of State, International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Program, where he was the Regional Program Manager for Northeast Mexico (Coahuila, Tamaulipas, Nuevo Leon, Durango, San Luis Potosi, Zacatecas.) You can follow him on Twitter. He can be reached at robertrarce@gmail.com
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