Suspected cartel shooting kills 8, injures 2 in north-central Mexico

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

DEADLY GANG VIOLENCE CONTINUES TO GRIP PARTS OF MEXICO.

AN INVESTIGATION IS UNDERWAY AFTER SUSPECTED CARTEL GUNMEN OPENED FIRE ON CUSTOMERS AND BYSTANDERS THIS WEEKEND AT A BUSY SHOPPING AREA.

KILLING AT LEAST EIGHT PEOPLE AND WOUNDING TWO OTHERS.

LAW ENFORCEMENT SAYS TWO FIREFIGHTERS AND A PARAMEDIC WERE AMONG THOSE WHO DIED. AUTHORITIES ARE STILL LOOKING INTO A MOTIVE.

THE NORTH-CENTRAL STATE GUANAJUATO [GWAN-AH-HOT-OH],, A CARTEL STRONGHOLD, HAS BEEN HIT BY MASS SHOOTINGS IN RECENT YEARS INCLUDING BARS, CLUBS AND BUSINESSES.

IT REPORTEDLY HAS THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF HOMICIDES OF ANY MEXICAN STATE  AS A PAIR OF CARTELS FIGHT A “TURF WAR.”

IN OCTOBER, AUTHORITIES IN GUANAJUATO [GWAN-AH-HOT-OH] FOUND THE BODIES OF A DOZEN POLICE OFFICERS BEARING SIGNS OF TORTURE, WITH CARTELS CLAIMING RESPONSIBILITY.

CARTEL-VIOLENCE HAS CONTINUED WITHOUT MUCH RESISTANCE SINCE MEXICAN PRESIDENT CLAUDIA SHEINBAUM TOOK OFFICE ON OCTOBER 1ST. 

SHE’S BEEN CRITICIZED FOR CONTINUING HER PREDECESSOR’S SO-CALLED “HUGS, NOT BULLETS” STRATEGY, BUT HAS SIGNALED A WILLINGNESS TO SHIFT TOWARD MORE MILITARY USE AGAINST CARTELS RECENTLY.

SHEINBAUM HAS STOPPED SHORT OF DECLARING WAR ON THE CARTELS BUT PROPOSED A POLICY SHE SAYS IS BASED ON INTELLIGENCE GATHERING TO DISABLE CARTEL OPERATIONS. 

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FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M LAUREN TAYLOR.