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

As deadly gang violence continues to grip parts of Mexico, an investigation is underway after suspected cartel gunmen opened fire on customers and bystanders on Saturday, Nov. 30, at a busy shopping area. Police say the shooting killed eight people and wounded two others in the north-central Mexican state of Guanajuato.

Law enforcement says two firefighters and one paramedic were among those who died in the shooting. Authorities are still looking into a motive.

Guanajuato, a cartel stronghold, has been hit by mass shootings in recent years, including bars, clubs and businesses. The state reportedly has the highest number of homicides of any Mexican state as a pair of cartels fight a “turf war.”

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In October, authorities in Guanajuato found the bodies of a dozen police officers reportedly bearing the signs of torture. Cartels later claimed responsibility for the killings.

Cartel violence has continued without much resistance since Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum took office on Oct. 1. She’s been criticized for continuing her predecessor’s “Hugs, Not Bullets” strategy. However, she’s 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.