Cartel gunmen clashed in a fierce battle where one man died and several others were injured. A famed Mexican regional music performer was rumored to have been the target of a failed kidnapping but he later claimed he was not at the scene Sunday.
The clash took place on Sunday afternoon in the Andares neighborhood in Zapopan, Jalisco. Preliminary information notes the death of one man who was working as a bodyguard. Two gunmen and four bystanders were reported injured.
Balacera entre integrantes del crimen organizado y elementos de la @SEDENAmx en la plaza andares en el municipio de Zapopan. pic.twitter.com/oiRdS3ul7E
— Juan Carlos Munguía (@JCMunguiaA92) October 2, 2022
Locals shared cell phone videos of the shootout on social media. Gunmen can be seen using rifles and vehicles for cover. Shoppers in a nearby mall were forced to seek shelter.
Un vecino de la zona graba desde la azotea de su edificio el enfrentamiento entre sicarios del crimen organizado eata tarde en la zona de Andares en Zapopan. Armas de alto calibre resuenan como en una zona de guerra en la exclusiva zona comercial pic.twitter.com/wSRtgHYl8f
— Salvador García Soto (@SGarciaSoto) October 2, 2022
Shortly after 6 p.m., the Jalisco Attorney General’s Office issued a social media notice warning the public to avoid the area and make room for emergency vehicles.
Official descriptions of the incident note that gunmen tried to ambush an unnamed individual with bodyguards. The bodyguards tried to fight off the attack, triggering the initial shootout.
On Sunday evening, Jalisco State Security Coordinator Ricardo Sanchez Beruben revealed that authorities first responded to the sound of gunfire shortly after 5:30 p.m. with the Mexican military responded to the scene. Beruben claimed that the rapid response by the Mexican Army prevented further casualties.
“At the time the call was made, the Mexican Army received the information and they responded to the scene,” Beruben revealed.
Jalisco Attorney General Joaquin Mendez Ruiz revealed that authorities recovered rifles, two SUVs, body armor, and tactical gear. Mendez Ruiz pointed out that the gunmen used body armor with patches and decals identifying them with an undisclosed cartel.
¿Quien es Julian o Julión (no entiendo bien) Álverez?
Dice el del video que iban por ese señor.
Tras la balacera en Plaza Andares en Zapopan, Jalisco.#HijosDeMx pic.twitter.com/vtzgtWac8m— Robert Gray 2022 (@RobertGray2019) October 3, 2022
During the shootout, rumors spread that famous musician Julion Alvarez was the intended target, however, the performer posted video on social media claiming he was actually headed for Central Mexico for a gig at the time.
ACLARA JULION ALVAREZ QUE NO FUE UN ATENTADO EN SU CONTRA..
El cantante mexicano señalado de lavar dinero para cjng aclara que se encuentra a salvo y desconoce que ocurrio en Jalisco pic.twitter.com/jSvpY0LFpV
— UNIDAD DE INTELIGENCIA CIUDADANA (@UNIDADDEINTELI4) October 3, 2022
Alvarez was previously singled out by the U.S. Department of Treasury as a drug kingpin, freezing his assets for allegedly laundering money for a cartel in Jalisco. After several years, Treasury withdrew the personal sanctions.
Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and senior Breitbart management. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at Iortiz@breitbart.com.
Brandon Darby is the managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and senior Breitbart management. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at bdarby@breitbart.com.
“C.P. Mireles”, “L.P. Contreras”, “Dharma Fernandez” and Jose Luis Lara from Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles Project contributed to this report.
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